
Class __ 
Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 




Oxl. 



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\- 



H REATER KANSAS CI TY. . ^- ^ ^ ^ 

HOW THIS BOOK CAME. 

During the summer of 1 895. the Kansas City ••Times" conceived the idea of furthering the growth of 

Kansas City by the organization of a 500.000 Club.its purpose being the building of a ••Greater Kansas City." 

^^^jj-j ^ With the view of aiding the ••Times" in its efforts towards developing this '•Greater Kansas City" the 

'<';'^A^^ Missouri, Kansas & Texas Trust Company offered $2.1 00 in prizes for articles pertaining to Kansas City 

''*^»5''* and its interests. The prize articles are contained in this little booh, which is published with the purpose of giving 

some adequate idea of the city' s past and present, and the abundant prosperity which the future promises. So 

many false impressions are scattered about regarding the present condition of Kansas City, it is but justice that 

they should be corrected, that the world should know Kansas City has entered upon an unlimited season of 

sound prosperity, and that a population of 500, 000 will in the next few years be a reality and not a vision. 

KANSAS CITY, MO.. OCTOBER. J 895. 



COPYRIGHTED BY 

MrssouRi. Kansas & Texas Trust Company. 
1895. 



KANSAS CITY OF THE PAST 

PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 3. 
By Thomas P. Jaudon, Jr. 
I ET the genial "Father of American Literature" speak. 
1 He wrote the following letter to his sister. Mrs. Paris, 
^^ at a time when this wonderful city existed only in the 
mind of the prophet and the sooth-sayer : 

Independence. Mo.. September 26. 1832. — My Dear 
Sister: — We arrived at this place the day before yester- 
day, after nine days' traveling on horsebaci^ from St. 
Louis. Our journey has been a very interesting one, 
leading us across fine prairies and through noble forests 
dotted here and there by iarms ard log houses, at which 
we found rough but wholesome and abundant fare, and 
very civil treatment. Many parts of these prairies of 
Missouri are extremely beautiful, resembling cuhivated 
countries embellished with pr.rks and groves, rather than 
the savage rudeness of the wilderness. 

Yesterday 1 vas out on a deer hunt in the vicinity of 
this place that led me through some scenery that only 
wanted a castle or a gentleman's seat here and there dis- 
persed to have equalled some of the most celebrated park 
scenery of England. 

The fertility of all this Western country is truly 
astonishing. The soil is like that of a garden and the 
luxuriance and beauty of the forests exceed any that I 
have ever seen. We have gradually been advancing, 
however, toward rougher and rougher life, and are now 
in a little straggling frontier village that has been only 
five years in existence. From hence, in the course of a 
day or two. we take our departure southwardly, and shall 
soon bid adieu to civilization and encamp at night in our 
tents. My health is good, though I have been much 
affected by the change of climate, diet and water since 
my arrival in the West. Horse exercise, however. agrees 
with me. I enjoy my journey exceedingly, and look for 
still greater gratification in the part which is now before 



me, which will present much greater wilderness and 
novelty. The climax will be our expedition with the 
Osages to their hunting ground and the sight of a buffalo 
hunt. Your brother, 

WASHINGTON IRVING. 

It is stated on good authority that the author of the 
Sketch Book, in company with the commissioner of 
Indian affairs. Count Pourtales of Switzerland. Mr. Har- 
vey Younger and others, departed from Chouteau's v/are- 
house, thence westward and finally southward to the land 
of the Osages. 

The distinguished visitors were greeted by the French 
settlers along the Missouri, but these were demure in 
manner and very few in number. Had Washington Irving 
visited Jackson county in 1887, in company with Presi- 
dent Cleveland, he would have been welcom.ed by the 
citizens of a throbbing Western metropolis, which 
stretches gracefully, compactly and commercially from 
near Chouteau's warehouse, over the hills and vales, 
even far beyond the halting spots where the great novelist 
stopped his panting steed for a few moments' rest. 

One evening in 1854 two strange looking men landed 
from a steamer near the foot of Delaware street and 
walked across the levee to the Gilliss hotel, at that time 
our only hostelry, now doing duty as a soap factory. One 
of the gentlemen was tall and stately, the other of medium 
stature. They were .Senator Thomas Benton and JohnC. 
Fremont. "Fremont and Benton had arrived to complete 
arrangements for an experiment with camels a.", beasts of 
burden across the plains during the hot season." The 
tall Senator was very enthusiastic on the subject, and 
furthered the scheme at all hazards. On the following 
day these gentlemen walked amid the cluster of houses 
whicn constituted "Kansas" City, and which sheltered 



less than 300 inhabitants, and wended their way to the 
home of Dr. Johnson Lykins. whose house was on a bluff 
overlooking the town. At dinner Senator Benton dis- 
cussed camels thoroughly, declared that many had already 
been imported and that the plan was feasible. He was in 
remarkably good spirits, and after dinner said to Mrs. 
Lykins: "Mrs. Lykins. you will take a trip to California 
on one of those camels, won't you?" Mrs. Lykins 
laughed and said she preferred "a more comfortable 
mode of travel." The statesman's face saddened. "You 
are a very young woman." said he, "and you will live 
to see the day when the railroad will cross the plains and 
mountains to the Pacific coast." Mrs. Lykins told him 
his project was as visionary as a trip to the moon. "1 will 
not live to see the prophecy verified, but the next genera- 
tion will," replied the stern-visaged statesman. 

Colonel Benton's scheme failed, but Mrs. Lykins 
lived to see his prophecy fulfilled, and recently closed 
her eyes upon a mighty scene of rapidity and commercial 
activity, as Kansas City is the second greatest rail- 
road center in the United States, and its seventeen 
systems have a mileage of over 67,000 miles, directly 
tributary to its business. 

Senator Benton, decidedly different from most states- 
men was an exception to the Biblical declaration, "A 
prophet is not without honor save in his own country." 
The visit described above was Colonel Benton's last to 
Kansas City. Some years before he spoke to the as- 
sembled citizens on the Randolph bluffs, a few miles 
below the city. 

Pointing the long index finger of his right hand to the 
west the Missouri senator dramatically declared that a 
mighty city would some day cover the bottom lands and 
hills which stretched majestically southward from where 
the waters of the placid Kansas joined the ever turbulent 
Missouri. The tall statesman also declared that on these 
hills would be built the greatest commercial center west 
of St. Louis. The commerce did come; the railroads did 



come: the city did come, but how did the Senator come? 
He came and departed by boat. The era of the steam- 
boat is not the least important in the history of Jackson 
county. The first boat to pass the site of Kansas City 
was the Independence, in 1819. During the days of the 
steamboat the levee was covered with goods; wagons were 
being loaded for the trip across the plains, and the cries 
of the runners for the Gillis hotel and the Farmers' hotel 
added not a little to the vociferous and pious imprecations 
of the mates and the constant thud of the exhaust. In 
1857, 1,500 steamboats arrived and departed at the levee, 
but in 1873 there were only 130, 

The "Santa Fe Trade" was the cause of the happy 
steamboat days, though the settlement of Kansas and 
Kansas City's being the natural gateway to that territory, 
helped the steamboat trade materially. The trade with 
Mexico, commonly called the Santa Fe trade, because 
Santa Fe was the gateway into that somnambulent coun- 
try, began very early after the year 1820. Americans 
had reached Santa Fe previous to that date. "The profits 
of those early trading parties were so great, and their re- 
ports so flattering and exciting that in 1822 a large num- 
ber of parties with large amounts of merchandise went 
out." 

In 1833 Westport, now a suburb of Kansas City, was 
founded. It grew rapidly and the merchants carried on 
quite an extensive Indian trade. The main landing place 
was at Blue Mills, a few miles below Independence. The 
merchants of Westport thought the distance to Blue Mills 
too great, and the boats began to land their goods at 
Chouteau's warehouse, but Mr. John C. McCoy, the 
founder of Westport, received his first stock of goods by 
the steamer John Hancock and ordered them to be land- 
ed in the woods above Chouteau's house, where Grand 
avenue now reaches the river. This was in 1832. and 
was the first landing ever made at what afterward became 
the Kansas City levee. 



"Westport Landing" thus began its existence. The 
Mexican trade was outfitte(4 briskly at Independence until 
1843. when it was suppressed by General Santa Anna. "The 
suppression of this trade was a severe blow to Indepen- 
dence, and damaged Westport somewhat." In 1845 the 
Santa Fe trade was resumed with great vigor and with 
larger proportions. The Mexican war began about this 
time and the river towns became outfitting depots for the 
military expeditions then starling southward. Leaven- 
worth. Wasion, Parkville and Liberty were greatly bene- 
fitted by the trade consequent upon the exit of thousands 
of well-equipped and provisioned soldiers. Independence 
and Westport especially received a temporary impetus 
and their merchants prospered accordingly. 

But certain men had been thinking that the tendency 
of the Indian trade, and also the Mexican trade, was to- 
ward the natural rock landing, as transfers could readily 
be effected between the boats and the wagons, the com- 
mon carriers of these two great branches of trade. In 
1837 a daughter of Gabriel Prudhomme. one of the heirs 
of the estate, '■petitioned the Circuit court of Jackson 
county for an allotment of dower to Prudhomme's widow 
and a division of land among the heirs." After much 
judicial proceeding the court ordered the estate sold at 
auction. The sale was made to Abraham Fonda for 
$1,800. Certain irregularities during this sale having 
been proven to the court, a new sale was ordered to be 
duly advertised. While the advertising was progressing, 
the aforementioned thinking men. fourteen in number, 
formed a company and determined to buy the estate and 
lay out a town. 

The sale occurred October 14. 1838. The town com- 
pany bought the estate for $4,220 and proceeded at once 
to lay out a town which they called Kansas. Thus we 
see that the original Kansas City was the estate of the 
vivacious Frenchman. Gabriel Prudhomme. It extended 
from the river southward to Independence avenue, and 
from Broadway eastward to Troost avenue. The com- 



pany built a warehouse for the accommodation of the 
Santa Fe and Indian trade. and W. B. Evans was appoint- 
ed custodian. 

This great city had its beginning on account of its 
natural advantages for the extension of trade and trans- 
portation. Severity of historical acumen, or the simple 
desire to tell the truth, compel both the historian and the 
humble annalist to declare that nearly the whole of the 
history of this city has been a constant development, 
modification, extension and perfection of those gigantic 
factors, trade and transportation. The railroads, the 
cables and the quickest and most efficient fire depart- 
ment on earth are but a few examples of the progress of 
transportation. "Kansas" prospered slowly and slumber- 
ed peacefully. Citizens of Westport and Independence 
called it Westport Landing in derision, but trade with the 
Indians started. A few warehouses were built. 

During the great flood of 1844 the steamboats ran up 
to the door of Mr. Chick's warehouse, six feet above the 
present level of the street. This flood destroyed the ware- 
houses in the East and West bottoms, and they were 
compelled to start anew at Kansas City. A historian 
gravely remarks, "Thus this great calamity was an advan- 
tage to what was then Kansas City, and every calam- 
ity since, except the civil war. has equally rebounded to 
her advantage, as the sequel will show." Belgian emi- 
grants brought the cholera in 1849. but there were few to 
kill. -It came again in 1851. and the panic reduced the 
population to about 300. The place did not recover from 
this exodus until the Santa Fe trade was finally concen- 
trated at this point, which was about 1856 or 1857. A 
Greater Kansas City commenced. 

A history of Jackson county contains the following 
words: "Messrs. Bent & St. Vrain. who were among the 
oldest Indian traders on the plains, and who understood 
the advantages of this point better than many others who 
had engaged in the Santa Fe trade, landed a cargo of 
goods here in this year (1845). which, it is stated, was the 



first cargo of goods that ever went from this point in a 
wagon train to Santa Fe. Others followed, so that in 
1846 the people of Kansas City had what they regarded as 
a fair show of the trade." Kansas was settling up with 
marvelous rapidity; the Santa Fe trade prospered. A 
correspondent of the St. Louis Intelligencer declared 
"that Kansas City had the largest trade of any city of her 
size in the world, and was the point at which all freight 
and immigrants for Kansas dis-embarked." The Journal 
of Commerce at one time during these years described 
the appearance of the levee as that of a great fair, it was 
so piled up with all kinds of merchandise. The huge piles 
of Mexican freight, the mules, the Greasers. Indians. mud 
clerks, roustabouts and prairie schooners made a scene 
never to be forgotten. But the hoarse commands of the 
mate are heard no more, and the noble denizens of the 
forest primeval are being rapidly crowded into the Pacific 
by the ever advancing and restless paleface. 

The first newspaper published in Kansas City was 
called the Public Ledger, but the first permanent news- 
paper had a name which has ever been the watchword of 
this city — Kansas City Enterprise. In 1857 the name 
was changed to Journal of Commerce, now the Journal. 

Four years after the great trade revival of 1857 
the Civil war began and Kansas City went into a disas- 
trous decline. The Kansas towns on the Missouri river 
were pushing rapidly to the front. Jackson county suf- 
fered severely during the war. It was organized Decem- 
ber 15. 1826. Clay county, adjoining Jackson county on 
the north, was settled and organized before the land of 
Jackson county was purchased from the red men. The 
county on the north was named in honor of Henry Clay, 
and the county seat was named Liberty, as that was a 
favorite theme with the great commoner. The hardy 
pioneers south of Clay county and across the "Big Mud- 
dy" were not in political sympathy with the Kentucky 
statesman, and in direct opposition to his admirers, named 
their county Jackson and the county seat Independence, 



which is still the county seat and a residence suburb of 
Kansas City. Henry Clay received only one vote in 
Jackson county out of 300 cast for President in 1828. 

The Civil war in Western Missouri was largely a 
series of raids, skirmishes and guerrillaism. Both sides 
raised their respective flags on some of the niany hills of 
Kansas City with an enthusiasm worthy of Revolutionary 
patriots. Quantrell with his band of guerrillas captured 
Independence August 11. 1862. With great energy and 
unflagging zeal Kansas City was put in a state of defence, 
but the dreaded cavalryman did not molest the trade 
center. Last decoration day an imposing monument was 
unveiled at Topeka. Kan. This granite shaft was erected 
in honor of the Union men from Topeka who fell in the 
Battle of the Blue, which was fought a few miles east of 
Kansas City October 22. 1864. This battle was an im- 
portant one. as it served to somewhat check the advance 
of the Confederate General Price upon Kansas. The 
resistance on that day of the entire Union force, under 
General Curtis, and the arrival the next day of 5.000 men 
from St. Louis, in command of General Pleasanton 
served to defeat the plan of General Price, to occupy 
Kansas City on the morning of the 23. and the Confeder- 
ates continued their march southward. The most severe 
battle fought in Jackson county was the battle of Lone 
Jack, which was a defeat for the Union cause, the Fed- 
erals losing many men and nearly all their artillery. This 
engagement has been called the hottest fight in the State 
during the war. Over half the troops engaged on each 
side were either killed or wounded. 

On June 16. 1861. a Kansas City paper offering 
a reward of $150 for the return to the owner of his "negro 
man Caesar." Probably the last slave sold in Missouri 
was a negro girl sold at auction in Kansas City for $123 
under execution for debt. 

A special correspondent for the New York Herald 
declared in I860 Kansas City had an immense trade^ 
more than all the other river towns combined, but the war 



dissipated all hopes. During that struggle, the era of the 
"Iron Horse" dawned. When the nver froze in 1863 the 
Union Pacific railroad had received at St. Joseph iron 
and accessories for forty miles of road, but could not get 
them to Kansas City until spring. The Cameron railroad" 
was completed from the east as far as Cameron. But 
jealousy. "Thou greeneyed monster, thou plague of 
blissful existence." began to assume vast proportions. 
The people of Leavenworth began to make elforts to 
secure the Cameron railroad. "It was a critical time 
for Kansas City, for had that arrangement been consum- 
mated it would have given Leavenworth the Cameron 
railroad and the bridge and secured for her future pre- 
eminence." But the capitalists of Kansas City interested 
the managers of the roads, and by various means diverted 
them from Leavenworth for the time being. The Missouri 
Pacific and the Fort Scott and Gulf roads were slowly 
approaching Kansas City, but all railroad enterprise was 
stopped by General Price's raid m 1864. 

One evening in 1867 a messenger appeared at the 
home of Colonel T. S. Case, then living on the Westport 
road, and told him to come into the city early next morn- 
ing, prepared to go to Boston. He came. Colonel C. E. 
Kearney had aroused General Reed and succeeded in get- 
ting him to join Colonel Case. They crossed on the 
ferry, "staged" it to Cameron and were soon on their 
journey east. The cause of this sudden departure was 
that the project of building a railroad from Cameron to 
Kansas City had been revived; the roadbed had been put 
in preventable shape, and delegates sent to Boston to 
arrange with the Hannibal and St. Joseph people for its 
completion. The Boston capitalists told the delegation 
that they would have nothing to do with the road unless a 
bridge would be built across the Missouri. But they sent 
an engineer here, and a favorable report as to his ability 
to bridge the river was sent to the east. 

While the negotiations for receiving aid to build the 
road were in progress, a contractor hurried into the city 



and told Colonel Kearney that a capitalist, a professed 
friend of Kansas City, had just started for Boston, having 
contracts in his possession which provided for changing 
the terminus of the Cameron road to Leavenworth and 
for building a bridge at that point instead of at Kansas 
City. Kearsey Coaies was at that time in Washington, 
and Colonel Kearney telegraphed him to go to Boston at 
once and tell the Boston company to await the arri\al of 
General Reed and Colonel Case before closing any con- 
tract with the perfidious capitalist. Mr. Coates arrixed in 
Boston before daylight on a certain morning, hurried to 
the residences of the members of the company and obtain- 
ed a pledge to await the two travelers from Kansas City. 
Mr. John E. Balis, from whose narrative the above story 
of the turning point in the city's history was condensed, 
says: "On the arrival of Case and Reed a conference 
was held and the duplicity of the capitalist exposed by 
letters which he had written to Kearney, and a definite 
conclusion to join hands with Kansas City was the result. 
I've been told that the Leavenworth contract was copied 
and the words "Kansas City" substituted for the word 
Leavenworth. The bridge was built at Kansas City, and 
from that time we had a clean 'walk over.' not only as 
regards the traffic across the river, but over all our 
rivals." Colonel Kearney telegraphed the final contract 
to Robert T. VanHorn. member of Congress from the 
Kansas City district. There was great need of haste, as 
a bill was to be reported the next Monday morning by the 
committee on postoffices and poslroads providing for the 
building of bridges at Quincy and other places. Colonel 
Van Horn succeeded in getting the chairman of that 
committee to agree to admit an amendment allowing a 
bridge at Kansas City. When the House assembled the 
reading of the minutes was deferred, the bill came up. Mr. 
Van Horn's amendment was accepted and the chairman 
moved the previous question. While all this was happen- 
ing. Hon. Sidney Clark of Kansas came in and hurriedly 
drew up an amendment for a bridge at Leavenworth. 



Too late. The previous question had been seconded and 
his amendment could not be considered. The corner stone 
of the bridge was laid August 21. 1667. Kansas City began 
to take a place among the great American cities. The first 
train came into the city over the Missouri Pacific railroad, 
and before 1870 the bridge and seven railroads were com- 
pleted. School and street improvements were of com- 
mendable frequency. The population increased from 
5.000 to 30.000. 

The years between 1870 and 1872 were years of last- 
ing industry. During that period there was another great 
extension of railroad facilities: water and gas works were 
built and the Board of Trade was organized. The first 
street railroad, the free mail delivery, with only eight 
carriers, and eight new railroads and an exchange build- 
ing were the new features of the Centennial year. Growth 
of the city from 1876 to 1880 was very rapid and subtan- 
tial. The grain trade began to concentrate, and the 
receipts of live slock were 3.366.707. valued at over 
$48,000,000. Between 1880 and 1890 portraits of cable 
viaducts and packing houses began to appear on the pages 
of geographies in which Kansas City was described, and 
of these publications declared that Kansas City was a 
great grain market, an important railroad and packing 
house center, and noted for its rapid growth. 

History of the real Kansas City began after the Civil 
war. bat the "first things" v/ere ante-bellum. The first 
woman resident of Kansas City was Mme. Grand Louis. 
The name of the first male resident, a Frenchman, is not 
known. The first land owner near Kansas City — Daniel 
Morgan Boone, son of Daniel Boone, the great Kentucky 
pioneer. "Morg" Boone, as he was familiarly called — 
trapped and hunted over the hills of what is now Kansas 
City for many years. His remains now lay in an un- 
marked grave, eight miles south of the city. 

This city is now the tenth city in the amount of postal 
business, but in 1845 the mail came weekly by way of 
Westport. and was often kept in the pocket of the 



postmaster, W. W. Clark. About eight years after 
the first organization, the town company was re- 
organized, and the first sale of lots took place in 1848. 
The 150 lots sold brought an average of $55.65 per lot. 
On November 29. 1855, the first addition. Hubbard's, was 
annexed to "Old Town." but in 1887 249 additions were 
platted. You may still see the first iron front placed on a 
Kansas City building, then regarded as a very fine piece 
of work for a frontier town. In 1834 Mr. James McGee 
built the first brick house, still standing. A building on 
Filth street, now serving its country as a livery stable, 
was the first protestant church in the city. The first 
catholic church was a log structure near Eleventh and 
Penn streets. This church and the historical cemetary 
near it have long since departed and private residences 
occupy the site of their former glory. 

Folios could be written concerning the exploits of 
those buried in this cemetary. It was the first "God's 
acre" of the city, and many French and Indians were in- 
terred there. The "Old Resident" has applauded many 
transformation scenes. Instead of the little frame Stock 
exchange which stood at the foot of the Twelfth street 
cable viaduct, he now beholds a mammoth structure with 
an annual business of over $90,000,000. The little street 
car railroad. running on the old-fashioned rails from Fourth 
and Main to Sixteenth and Grand avenue, was the fore- 
runner of the Belt and 'V/estport lines, but they are gone 
and miles of cable tracks center the paved streets. The 
first packing house packed only 4.209 cattle in 1871. but 
in 1894 the great packing houses of Kansas City slaugh- 
tered 959.000 cattle. 2.050.784 hogs and 387.000 sheep. 
Ninety miles of paved streets take the place of the old 
macadamized roads and palatial buildings occupy the 
sites of historical landmarks. The pontoon bridge across 
the Kansas river is gone and twelve modern bridges now 
give access to our sister city. The old resident trembled 
lest Leavenworth should secure the bridge across the ever 
rushing Missouri, but today he sees three bridges across 



that foaming stream bear many of the hundreds of trains 
which daily enter into and depart from the city which is 
his pride and joy. 

One of the first schools of Kansas City was a log 
cabin near Twelfth and Troost avenue, now the center of 
the middle residence district. Our schools have a national 
reputation. 

Kansas City. Kan., the metropolis of the Sunflower 
State, joins Kansas City on the west. The two cities are 
governmentally two. but socially and commercially one. 
Kansas City is an inter-State city. All the distinguished 
guests. General Grant. Grover Cleveland. Benjamin 



Harrison. William McKinley. George W. Childs and 
others whom the citizens of Kansas City have entertained 
at various times, have spoken of the great effect Kansas 
City has upon the development of the West and South- 
west. With perfect accord the two Kansas Citys joined 
hands long ago and formed a natural and mutually com- 
mercial gateway to the mighty regions beyond, and their 
energetic citizens have verified the words of the poet : 
"Crossed the prairies as of old their fathers 

crossed the sea 
To make the West, as they the East, the 

heaven of the free." 



KANSAS CITY OF TODAY 

PRIZE ARTICLE NO. 4. 
By E. M. Clendenning. 

NO conscientious scribe can undertake a description of 
Kansas City of today without comparing it to the 
Kansas City of a few years ago. A favorite expres- 
sion of the loyal Kansas Cityan when extolling the won- 
derful growth and improvements here is. "Why. when I 
came here only so many years ago," then he will proceed 
to narrate what we did not have that we now rejoice in. 
Thirty years is but a short time in the history of cities and 
yet that is practically Kansas City's age. When we 
speak of cities we do not refer to the straggling village, 
the trading post, of the name by which Kansas City was 
originally known, "Westport Landing," but we refer to 
the time when rapid transportation was acquired, when 
communication with other parts of our country by means 
of the telegraph and improved postal facilities was estab- 
lished. This is the period v/hen Kansas City began to 
assume the position of a city. 

In recounting the rapid advancement which has been 
made, we must not forget that when Kansas City was 
shedding her swaddling clothes some of her rivals of 



today had reached important positions as commercial 
centers. Comparison is an effectual means of ascertain- 
ing the relative merits of everything. In this manner, 
then consider the Kansas City of today. 

The geographical position of Kansas City has always 
given her residents confidence in her future and many of 
her founders have lived to see the fruition of their labors 
in her behalf and the wisdom of her location. Situated in 
the center of the United States, she has always been 
destined to become a great city. There were many diffi- 
culties to be overcome to make this a suitable place to 
build a city. High bluffs were to be leveled, ravines to 
be filled and these were some of the discouragements of 
the early settlers. The visitor now scarcely realizes that 
the location of some of the best buildings were once either 
an infant mountain or an uninviting depression. In this 
one particular only, nature did not appear to be in har- 
mony with this spot as the location of a commercial and 
manufacturing center. But all things else conspired to 
stimulate the staunch friends of the early days and to lead 



them to believe that their efforts would some day be 
rewarded substantially. 

All cities that become important factors in the com- 
mercial world must be thoroughly equipped in e\ery 
department of transportation for both freight and passen- 
ger. The first railroad to Kansas City was completed in 
1865; Kansas City is today, with one exception, the 
greatest railroad center in this country, having twenty- 
seven lines of railroads covering a mileage of 52.000 
miles. These railway lines radiate in every direction and 
traverse thirty-two States and Territories. The total 
number of freight and passenger trains arriving and 
departing from Kansas City in a single year is one hun- 
dred and forty-six thousand four hundred and ten (146.- 
410). There are three hundred and twenty-six miles of 
track and fourteen hundred and thirty-six switches within 
Kansas City's manufacturing and jobbing district. What 
city in the world can show such a record as that between 
the Kansas City of yesterday and of today in the acquisi- 
tion of railway facilities. 

But it was not until 1869 that It was thought Kansas 
City would be a railroad center ; this opinion then pre- 
vailed, and the completion of the Hannibal bridge that 
year gave Kansas City its greatest prestige in railroad 
circles. 

Next in importance to steam railroads is Kansas 
City's street railway system, which is the best in the 'West. 
The entire system, which was recently consolidated 
under the name of the Metropolitan Street Railway com- 
pany, has been built since 1882. It embraces a total of 
156 miles, the chief motive power being cable. The 
transfer arrangements are such that for one fare a pas- 
senger can reach his destination from any part of the 
city. 

Kansas City was the second city in the country to 
introduce cable railways for rapid street transportation, 
and on account of the many hills upon which Kansas 
City if built, has been found the most desirable. There is 



but little left in Kansas City of the originel street 
car lines to remind one of the company which built 
the first line here in 1870. when the population was about 
32.000. 

The first street paving in Kansas City was laid in the 
spring of 1833, the material used being cedar blocks on 
board foundation, and Wyandotte street from Fifth to 
Ninth was selected for this improvennent. Since that time 
Kansas City has paved over 100 miles of streets: cedar 
blocks, which were first used from an economical stand- 
point, have been replaced either with granite blocks, 
brick or asphalt. Kansas City has more streets paved 
with asphalt than any city of similar size in America. 

Kansas City is built upon a succession of hills, and 
the natural drainage is excellent. There are 140 miles of 
modern sewers in the corporate limits of the city. Every 
important public and office building in Kansas City has 
been erected since 1880. There are more first-class 
office buildings in Kansas City than any city of equal size 
in the United States. These buildings are furnished with 
every modern convenience and are handsome structures. 

Kansas City is situated upon the Missouri river, and 
for many years this was the only source of transportation 
for passengers and freight, consequently the business and 
residence part of the city was near the ri\ er. The prin- 
cipal retail thoroughfore is Main street, beginning at the 
river and extending south. This street divides the city 
into what is known as the West side and the East side. 
The West side overlooking the bluffs (from which can be 
seen the State of Kansas) was until 1882 the best residence 
portion of the city, but when the street car lines were 
built, affording a quick and comfortable means of travel 
the other side of the city developed rapidly into a place 
for the location of handsome homes. The residences of 
Kansas City embrace a variety of modern architecture, 
and the pastures and farms of a few years ago are now 
filled with palatial homes so situated that ample space is 
given for lawns, which add to their attractiveness. 



12- 



There is now being projected a system of paries and 
boulevards, which, when completed will give Kansas City 
magnificent places of resort and elegant drives. The 
parks which Kansas City enjoys at present are Fairmount, 
Washington, Troost and Burge. and any of them are 
reached by means of steam, cable and electric cars in 
about a half hour's ride from the center of the city. 

Kansas City's public school system is controlled by 
a Board of Education elected by the people and chosen 
for their adaptability for the position without reference to 
their political affiliations. Thirty-six school buildings are 
devoted to public education, the High school being the 
finishing school wheie the boys and girls graduated from 
the grammar schools can equip themselves for the 
various walks of walks of life, and after graduation at the 
High school can matriculate to any college in the country. 
Twenty thousand school children were enrolled during 
the school year just closed. 

Kansas City recently voted an appropriation of $200,- 
000 for the erection of a public library building, which is 
now in process of construction. 

Kansas City is rich in churches, having 120 church 
buildings, valued at $4,000,000. 

It was not until 1884 that Kansas City had a govern- 
ment building for the use of the postoffice. United States 
court and offices for various government employees. So 
rapid was the growth of the city that this building, com- 
pleted in 1884, was in a few years found inadequate for 
the purpose, and in 1890 the government made an appro- 
priation for the purchase of a new site for a postoffice. 
Ground was purchased and the new building will occupy 
an entire block. The foundation is in place and work- 
men are engaged in building the superstructure. The 
building will be built of Llano. Tex., stone. 

Kansas City's newspapers have always been foremost 
in the advocacy of Kansas City's resources and much 
credit is due them for the position Kansas City has attain- 
ed as a commercial and manufacturing center. 



Kansas City is one of the best telephone cities in the 
country. The company here owns its building, into 
which it has recently moved. This building is supplied 
with all the modern inventions and every arrangement 
has been made for the comfort of the employees. A new 
switch board was purchased by this company at a cost of 
$75,000. The total number of telephones in use in Kan- 
sas City is 2.800; by means of telephones the towns of 
Missouri and Kansas, within a distance of 150 miles, are 
brought into communication with this c.'ty. 

Kansas City is peculiarly situated and has frequently 
been remarked that it is one of the few cities in this 
country that has required two states in which to build it. 
Many visitors suppose that the Kansas river is the divid- 
ing line; this is an erroneous impressions the imaginary 
line being considerably east of that river. Therefore 
when we speak of the population of Kansas City it is 
customary to include the residents east of the Kansas 
river. A conservative estimate places the inhabitants of 
the Kansas City of today at 194.000; in the next five years 
we hope to reach the half million mark. 

Kansas City's places of amusement consist of four 
first-class theatres and a number of auditoriums where 
lectures and concerts are given. 

We have endeavored to give the reader some idea of 
Kansas City of today; the character of her buildings, 
something of its residences, street railway facilities, in- 
stitutions of learning, places of amusement, etc.. but 
while the Kansas City of today appreciates these, and is 
proud of them, they are not usually discussed until the 
business aspect is considered. We have for this occasion 
reversed the order of things and have reserved a discus- 
sion of Kansas City's business as the crowning touch of 
all her glory. A beautiful city, a healthful city — a large 
city — can not exist without the stimulus of vigorous com- 
mercial and manufacturing enterprises. From the time 
that Kansas City was an outfitting point, from which the 
early settlers and prospectors obtained their supplies, to 



-13- 



the present day. Kansas City has always been a distribt- 
ing point, and as the country became settled. Kansas 
City's position as a jobbing market was never in doubt. 

The retail trade of Kansas City shares the same 
blessings of location as does the jobbing and manufactur- 
ing. The number of small towns within a few hours ride 
of the city enables the residents of these places the 
opportunity of supplying their wants at the lowest market 
price. The volume of this trade is so great, together 
with the home consumption. that the retailer can purchase 
liberally, giving the buyer large stocks from which to 
select, comprising every variety, from the ordinary to 
the finest. 

Kansas City's retail establishments are far in ad- 
vance of cities of its size, perhaps for the reason that 
they do not depend entirely upon the inhabitants of the 
city for their patronage. Over 3.000 houses are engaged 
in the retail trade here, whose sales amount to about 
$40,000,000 annually. Some of the concerns are mam- 
moth in their proportions, several department houses 
carrying almost every line that is manufactured. The 
intelligence of the people demands the finest assortment, 
the best quality and most approved styles. 

Kansas City's geographical position has destined her 
to become what she is today, one of the greatest dis- 
tributing markets of the West. Her territory is almost 
unlimited, and the jobber is never in doubt as to the 
amount of goods he can sell, but the question with him is. 
what his capital will permit. 

Kansas City is today a market for everything that 
is manufactured, and the merchant can now come here 
with the assurance that his wants can be supplied. A 
city to be a jobbing market must have the assortment, 
price and quality, and the Kansas City of today is equal 
to the emergency. Dry goods, boots and shoes, clothing, 
millinery, hats and caps, drugs, paints, oils, agricultural 
implements, groceries, etc.. etc.; these will be found in 
abundance. Five hundred and seventy-five firms are 



engaged in the jobbing trade of Kansas City. Their sales 
aggregate $85,000,000 a year, and with the recent ad- 
ditions to their numbers and prospects of an enormous 
crop this amount will no doubt be increased in the very 
near future. 

The progressive spirit of her merchants has done 
much to bring Kansas City to its present importance as a 
jobbing center, but the chief factor has been the wealth 
and extent of the tributary territory and exceptional 
transportation facilities. These favorable conditions will 
be increased with the lapse of years, and the jobbing 
trace which the Kansas City of today enjoys is but a fore- 
runner of brighter days in the future. Within a radius of 
250 miles. Kansas City has a population of over 3.000.000 
to supply with the necessities and comforts of life. In 
most of this territory there has never been a crop failure. 

An important commercial pursuit in Kansas City is 
her live stock market and packing house product. This 
is a distinctive industry, peculiar to Kansas City, as it has 
many rivals and but few superiors. It is the second 
largest live stock market in the world. The Stock Yards 
are the most convenient and modern in this country. 
During the year 1894 the Stock Yards company found it 
necessary to expend $1,500,000 for additional land and 
improvements in order to accommodate the increasing 
business. The receipts of stock at the Kansas City Stock 
Yards for a single year requires the service of 107.840 
freight cars, and the sales at the yards amount to $100.- 
000.000 a year. The Live Stock exchange was establish- 
ed in 1871. and the growth of business since that time 
has been remarkable. The Exchange building is now 
being doubled to accommodate the business. One hundred 
commission firms have offices in the Live Stock Exchange 
building. These firms are all members of the exchange, 
and their influence in public affairs is a potent factor. In 
connection with the Stock Yards company is the finest 
stable in the world for the sale of horses and mules. Re- 
ceipts for the past year were 44.378 head. 



-14- 



The packing industry in Kansas City today is a theme 
in itself and requires more space than is permitted at this 
time. Kansas City has always been more or less a trad- 
ing point for the sale of live stock, and as early as 1858 a 
packing house was established. Not until 1870. however, 
did this business begin to assume the magnitude which is 
now realized and which has placed Kansas City as the 
second largest market in the country for packing house 
products. Kansas City is entitled to the reputation she 
has for the quality of beef which is slaughtered here, corn 
fed cattle having superseded the range animal of a few 
years ago. Kansas City is advertised wherever civiliza- 
tion exists, by reason of her packing houses, the product 
being shipped to every country on the globe. The pack- 
ing houses of Kansas City kill and dress 3.456,860 ani- 
mals a year, and this number will no doubt be largely 
increased in the near future. This industry represents an 
invested capital of $15,000,000. with an annual output of 
$70,000,000. giving employment to 7.000 people at a sal- 
ary of $4,000,000 a year. 

Kansas City is a large depot for the receipt and dis- 
tribution of all kinds of cereals, having an elevator capac- 
ity of 4.400.000 bushels, and a handling capacity of 
900.000 bushels per day. The States of Kansas. Ne- 
braska and Missouri, with Oklahoma Territory, produce 
25 per cent, of all the wheat raised in this country, and 
Kansas City is the natural market for the shipment of this 
cereal. 

The subject that is dear to the hearts of the loyal 
people of every city is that of manufacturing, and a few 
people frequently allow their better feelings to get control 
of them when they approach this subject, and the remark 
is frequently heard that the only way to increase the pop- 
ulation of a city is to bring more factories to it. We 
admit that this is one way to build up a city, but there is 
not a large city in America, that can attribute its great- 
ness solely to manufacturing industries. Generally 
speaking, the distinctively manufacturing cities are small 



places, and the populous city is the one that combines 
manufacturing with jobbing interests and other commer- 
cial pursuits. Large cities first become great distributing 
points, and as the demand increases, the necessity for 
the manufacturing of supplies for distribution becomes 
apparent. This is the history of all our large cities, 
and there is every encouragement to believe that the 
next five years will see in Kansas City a marked im- 
provement in manufacturing industries. Few cities of 
Kansas City's population can show such favorable con- 
ditions for the combinations which make up a healthful 
commercial growth. Her territory is unapproachable. 
Rich in everything that soil, forest and mine can produce, 
she has long since passed the experimental period and 
is recognized as one of the great jobbing centers of the 
West. Combined with this she has made rapid strides as 
a manufacturing city, and these two elements, in perfect 
accord with natural surroundings and resources, is build- 
ing her up to the standard which has long been prophe- 
sied for her. 

Jobbing and manufacturing — twin sisters — whose 
interests are identical, and between whom there is no 
no rivalry in Kansas City. 

The past two years have been trying times all over 
the world, and men have been loath to invest their money 
in new enterprises. However, in the face of these diffi- 
culties. Kansas City has maintained factories already 
located here and has added to them very materially. 
During the oast two years a number of new plants have 
come to Kansas City, the most prominent being the 
Kansas City Car Wheel and Foundry company, occupy- 
ing thirteen acres of ground at the intersection of the 
Kansas City Belt and Union Terminal railway companies. 
This company has a capital of $250,000 and employs 200 
hands. Their business is the manufacture of car wheels 
and cars. One order placed with them shortly after 
locating here was for 125 cars for one of our packing 
houses. The Cowles-Dennison Manufacturing company 



-15- 



manufacture a self-feeder for a threshing machine. The 
Indian Rice Milling company, located on the line of the 
Kansas City Suburban Belt Railway company, manufac- 
tures white corn into brewers' grits, corn meal etc. The 
Consolidated Box Manufacturing company came to Kan- 
sas City at the beginning of 1894. and manufactures 
boxes of every kind. The Riverside Iron Works com- 
pany, successors to the Keystone Iron Works company, 
was reorganized in the spring of 1894. and has been 
doing a successful business. They manufacture machin- 
ery for packing houses, and have recently commenced 
the manufacture of ice machines, which have the reputa- 
tion of being first-class. 

The Rex mill, destroyed by fire, is being rebuilt, and 
when completed will be one of the most modern flour 
mills in the country. The Western Manufacturing com- 
pany located here after inspecting other locations, making 
cultivators and harrows. The Corle Oat Meal and Cereal 
company is the largest manufacturing establishment 
making oat meal outside of the Trust, and has built up 
a larger business in a short time than any other establish- 
ment in the country. 

No statement with reference to Kansas City's manu- 
facturing industries would be complete without mention- 
ing the excellent facilities factories here enjoy by reason 
of the lines of belt railway, which connect with all the 
railroads which center here. These belt railways are : 
The Kansas City. Kansas City Suburban and the Union 
Terminal. the latter completed within the last few months. 
These lines afford great convenience in the matter of 
handling cars, as well as a saving of money. 

Manufacturing can be conducted in Kansas City as 
economically as in any city in the United States, the 
price of fuel ranging from $1.25 to $1.75 per ton. Labor 
is plenty: taxation is low. These all contribute to make 
Kansas City a desirable place for manufacturers. 

The completion of a new line of railway to the South, 
which is now under construction, opens a new field for 



manufacturing enterprises in Kansas City. This railroad 
runs through a country rich in mineral resources; lumber 
in unlimited quantities, of the finest quality, abounds and 
should be the means of establishing factories here for the 
manufacture of furniture and agricultural implements, as 
well as affording another outlet for jobbers. 

The energetic business man in this wideawake. 
pushing, enterprising Kansas City of today is fortified 
by a banking capital of $11,200,000. with clearings for 
the year ending June 1. 1895. of $699,686,254, 

The conservative reasoner must be impressed with 
the volume of Kansas City's business, when the amount 
of its bank clearings are considered, in comparison with 
the cities of America. 

In this respect Kansas City has been swifter in the 
commercial race than many of the cities which have 
been established for years, and In the grand competition, 
free for all, she has forged ahead until today she has but 
nine superiors, in amount of bank clearings, in the United 
States, 

The assessed value of Kansas City property is $82.- 
000.000. while its debt is but $916,647. Kansas City of 
today is a healthful city, sanitary laws are enforced and 
the death rate is only 10 to a 1,000. 

Kansas City is fortunate in its commercial organiza- 
tions, having the Board of Trade. Real Estate exchange. 
Live Stock exchange and Builders' and Traders' ex- 
change, each legislating for the special branch of busi- 
ness they represent for the good of all. Unselfish where 
the intesests of the city are concerned, and liberal to 
public enterprises demanding attention. 

From the members of all these organizations, in- 
cluding representatives from every class of business, 
bankers, merchants and manufacturers, has been formed 
the Commercial club, whose sole aim is 'to promote the 
progress, extension and increase the trade and industries 
of Kansas City." 



-16- 



GREATER KANSAS CITY. 

PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 5. 
By H. L. Sterrett. 
1 I /HEN Kansas City shook off the lethargy tjorn of 
\Xj dull times and the over-valuation of real estate, 
the invariable concomitant of "boom" agita- 
tion. "Greater Kansas City" became a possibility. When 
the people a*oke to the fact that the climax of merely 
commercial growth had been reached and once more 
presented the same unity of front and coherence of effort 
which made the commercial Kansas City not only the 
greatest purely commercial city of the West, but advertis- 
ed her facilities all over the world, then "Greater Kansas 
City" became an accomplished fact. To the energy, 
push and fidelity of her citizens, who at last rose above 
the idea of mere personal gain as the acme of earthly 
desires, is due the rapid and uniform growth of the city 
from the point where the first check was placed on her. 

With the dawn of the era of civic pride the dawn of 
the future greatest city of the West and Southwest was 
seen. With the realization that effort must be combined 
and persistent: that homes must be made something more 
than mere abiding places; that labor must have employ- 
ment, and that this employment must come from home, 
there arose in the city a force, irresistible and concen- 
trated, which resulted in the collection of the greatest 
number of flourishing manufacturies in the Kaw and 
Missouri valley ever seen on the globe. When the city deci- 
ded by nearly three-fifths of the entire vote that the water- 
works should belong to and be operated by the city; that 
parks and breathing places for the people should be provided 
by the people's agents, the people themselves began the 
crusade which never has ended and never will end. 

With the adoption of the charter amendments, rati- 
fied by the people on June 6. 1895. the end of the sleep 
of the denizens of the most favorably situated city on the 
American continent came to an end. The people said 

17- 



there must be half a million people here before the dawn 
of the new century. They knew from past experience 
that mere commerce would not accomplish this. They 
knew that the natural advantages of the city as a resi- 
dence city must be improved until home attractions would 
be unsurpassed. They knew that cheap homes were 
easily secured, but they also knew that Kansas City was 
the only city of its importance in the civilized world 
lacking in public breathing spots. Knowing this, they 
went to work with a will to provide them for all the 
people. 

The first result of this newly developed energy was 
the establishment of that system of parks and boulevards 
which a park board, with exceptional foresight, had map- 
ped out in anticipation of the time when the people would 
confer on it the power of acquisition and improvement. 
With the beginning of the work on the adornment of the 
city began the renewal of prosperity; the onward march 
of the city. Land values at once took an upward flight 
and labor was again in demand, after a season of depres- 
sion which had checked even the business advance. 

Then, even before the transformation of the bluffs 
and interior points of the city was undertaken, the revivi- 
fied people formed asscciations, held meetings and took 
action toward the attraction of capital for investment 
in manufacturing industries. It was shown to the world 
that no city in the universe has or ever will have as good 
advantages for the operation of tanneries, shoe factories, 
saddleries and harness works as this city. It was shown 
that no city has a larger tributary territory where such 
products would find a more ready sale. With the heavi- 
est live stock and packing house business hides were at 
hand for the use of all manufacturers who felt desirous of 
turning to Kansas City as a place of investment. 



Cheaper water was one of the demands capital made 
in order to invest in this city, even when conceding the 
vast marltet opened up by the introduction of industries of 
every kind here. In order that this might be secured 
without loss or damage to anybody the people decided to 
take advantage of the clause in the contract with the 
Water-works company and elected to purchase the sys- 
tem already constructed and in operation. After years of 
litigation, delays of all kinds known to the law and with 
all the power of gold and skill concentrated to defeat 
them, the people fought the fight to a successful issue 
solely on their merits as fighters with nerve enough to 
win. The amendment authorizing the city to issue bonds 
was carried by an overwhelming vote. The contract of 
the purchase was ratified in spite of the machinations of 
interested m^ney owners, and the plant wrested from the 
grasp of the corporation after a legal battle without par- 
allel in the history of the country. 

Having provided for municipal ownership of her 
water supply, the city had cleared her decks for the con- 
test for supremacy. With a people united and determin- 
ed; with a remembrance of what Kansas City had been 
and still remained-the commercial ruler of the West-with 
hope for the future and vim to realize on that hope, the 
city said to the manufacturers of the East: "Come out 
here where you can get the raw material and build 
among us. Bring your skilUed artisans and their fami- 
lies, and we will give them pleasant parks and beautiful 
drives. We have a city which has no equal in the coun- 
try in educational facilities. in health and in all that makes 
life desirable. Ov/ning our own water-works, we will 
grant free power privileges for a term of years to those of 
you who will come to us." 

Thus began a realization of what seemed a dream, 
that the greater Kansas City should make her bow to the 
world with the dawn of the new century. Knowing that 
this city always lived up to the letter of a contract, even 
if it resulted in temporary loss, believing that such a 



community was builded on right lines, the pilgrims came 
out of the East and settled in the Kaw and Missouri val- 
leys. Huge factories began to surround the tanneries, 
which were the first of the new industries to lift up their 
heads. With the new process for tanning perfected, 
leather became cheaper and the profit from all kinds of 
leather products became greater. The cost of freighting 
two ways was omitted, and the people received the bene- 
fit of this reduction. 

Skilful workmen in shoe factories, saddleries and 
harness factories came here to secure the employment 
offered. They found the city becoming more and more 
beautiful to look at. a system of public squares — neigh- 
boring breathing places right at the doors of the poor, 
with schools and churches dotting the landscape at short 
intervals and with a system of education which has never 
been and never will be surpassed, and they realized that 
here v/as the place for their little ones. They saw here a 
market for their labor and good homes within easy reach. 
They moved their families to the great West, and remain- 
ed, swelling the swelling population with earnest, sober, 
industrius, skilful citizens, adding much to the importance 
of the West and Southwest. 

They found a market wherein they could buy the 
necessities of life cheaper than in the ones they left be- 
hind them. They found that the city taps every source of 
supply in the country by more direct lines of transporta- 
tion than is the fortune of any of its rivals. Fruits come 
from Central America and Mexico; from California and 
the Gulf States; the marvelous berries of Arkansas, and 
the apples, peaches and other small fruits of Southern 
Missouri, unequalled in the world, they found laid down 
at their doors at prices within the reach of all. earlier than 
these same needed luxuries reached the greater cities of 
the Union. 

Finding fruit and vegetables in profusion all around 
the city for hundreds of miles, reached by 57,000 miles 
of railroad directly tributary to Kansas City, extensive 



canning factories sprang up almost in a night, and now 
prepare and send out to the world products noted for 
their excellence. With "Kansas City" stamped on each 
package, their reception is assured. It was due to the 
fact, among other things, that when the people set about 
filling up the manufacturing lands with manufacturies, 
that they served notice on the world that they would not 
handle nor use any goods not marked: "Made in Kansas 
City." 

Dealers took advantage of this legend to push their 
goods; they found a ready response. Sustaining the rep- 
utation of the city that everything produced here is of 
the highest quality, there was and is little difficulty in 
placing anything with this trade-mark. Hence it results 
that with the push and vigor of the people, something for 
which thev have always been famed, commerce has kept 
even pace with the advancement in productive impor- 
tance. It was learned that the natural resources of this 
city had never been sounded. Texas offered not only 
her cattle, but told the people here that the best and 
largest production of cotton is grown west of the Missis- 
sippi. A hint was enough when the people had become 
fully aroused. 

Denver had cotton mills; why should Kansas City 
lack them? There was but one answer, and cotton mills 
came to stay. The hills of New Hampshire and Vermont 
lost much of their commercial value when the boys from 
those States took to the West and began the manufacture 
of cotton fabrics formerly confined to the remote Eastern 
portions of the republic. Prints, threads, sheetings, etc., 
were started from Kansas City mills to compete with the 
products of the Fast, in America and out of it, and they 
won in the fierce fight. Again the energy and ability 
which characterized all things of Kansas City carried the 
day. where any faltering might have lost or delayed. 
The policy adopted when the contest was resumed, and 
which has never been changed, that Kansas City and her 
products, her resources, and the fact that they are being 



utilized, must not only be kept in view at home, but en- 
forced by ceaseless efforts abroad, secured its legitimate 
reward, and home manufactures of cotton reach out all 
over the country into the republics of the Southern conti- 
nent, all bearing the mark of "Greater Kansas City." 

It was known to the people of this city that no State 
in the Union has such rich natural ores as Missouri. The 
lead mines of Joplin had been opened and operated for 
years before the new energy came to the surface. Some 
attention had been paid to the corrosion of lead for pig- 
ments, a factory having been in operation for some time. 
Not satisfied with this, the people began to look about for 
pipe and plumbers' supplies. The motto that Kansas City 
uses only Kansas City products was again enforced, and 
extensive lead works sprang up in the Blue valley to the 
east. Then the iron industry, which was once well rep- 
resented in that valley, was revived, and "Kansas City" 
was stamped on iron pipes, gas and water mains, and 
even iron used in the construction of the huge, modern, 
steel-framed buildings. 

The great States whose products flow to Kansas City 
as naturally as water does down one of her hills, were 
found to be producers of a fine quality of wool in large 
quantities. Then it dawned on the minds of the people 
that they were sending that wool through their gates to 
the factories of the East and over to England: that they 
were taking that same wool back in the form of clothing 
and dress materials, paying a tariff on the imports of 
materials which went out duty free in the raw condition. 
Then a home market for woolen goods was created, 
Kansas City said: "We can make as fire cloth, as fine 
blankets, as fine dress patterns right here as the weavers 
of England. Scotland or anywhere else can. Let's do 
it." And they did. 

This was not enough. Half of the resources: the 
industries which it was seen could be made profitable 
here, had not been developed. Out on the flats of the 
Kaw and Missouri; out of the sullen waters of the former 



-19- 



were taken tons of sand of such fine quality that it was 
used in the making of granitoid for public improvements. 
It was seen that this sand contained the very best materials 
for glass. and glass mills grew out of the knowledge. backed 
by the "push" that attracted half a million people to this 
city. Sulphur and salt of the best were found in the hills 
and under the sod of this State and Kansas. Chemicals 
are needed in the arts, sciences and mechanical work of 
the world. Chemical works, at first for the production of 
commercial acids were created. 

Having commenced the production of heavier chem- 
icals and having the natural resources, it was but a step 
to the production of chemicals used in art. science and 
medicine. The work grew with the added knowledge 
and increased interest, until no laboratories in the world 
exceed those of the "Greater Kansas City" in extent, 
finish and the quality of their productions. From the 
cheaper acids it was an easy process to the production of 
the salts and finally to the extraction of the active principles 
of drugs and minerals. Manufacturing chemists found a 
new field for their labors; one more profitable than they 
had ever found before. 

Reverting again to the glass industry, the establish- 
ment of chemical laboratories called for bottles in which 
to store the goods when produced. Finding a good mar- 
ket for phials of the smallest make up to carboys and 
demijohns, the glass men said if the people would buy 
their goods they would turn them out. With the civic 
pride which was the mainspring of the new movement, 
the people said yes. and the added importance of glass 
manufacture was the result. 

Then it was learned that commerce and manufac- 
turies alone, even with play grounds and pleasure resorts 
provided for the people, will not make a city rule its 
country. Financially. Kansas City has always been a 
giant, yet something was needed beyond mere business. 
New desires grew out of the capacity to indulge them. 
Higher education than that afforded by the best system of 



public schools in the country was demanded. The same 
spirit of fraternity and fidelity to the city which had pro- 
duced a manufacturing and commercial phenomenon 
now turned to the question of giving the young people 
the benefit of colleges without sending them from home. 
It was argued that men and women educated in Kansas 
City institutions would return to the city after their school 
days were ended. It was pointed out that the youth of 
the surrounding States would flock to this city for college 
advantages, provided these advantages were furnished. 
Then the people proceeded to furnish them. Men of 
large means — and the number had increased surprisingly 
— devoted to the city. endowed chairs and builded colleges 
until the magnificent University of Kansas City, an edu- 
cational institution without superior in the world is the 
result. 

Kansas City has always been the most picturesque 
city of its size in the whole Union. Possessing topo- 
graphical advantages which have never been surpassed, 
it was a delicate undertaking for the first board of park 
commissioners to provide parks. boule\ards and play 
grounds for the people. Where could the board secure 
the best without having slighted some other equally favor- 
able site? On one question there was absolute unanimity of 
opinion from the time parks were first talked of. It was 
determined by the people that the unsightly west bluKs, 
the ugly crags that overhung the Union depot and cast a 
gloom over the spirits of every visitor should be so im- 
proved that they would be a delight lo the eye and catch 
the newcomer "by first intention" as the doctors say. 
The board realized that first impressions ofien decide the 
wanderer's footsteps, and i' proceeded to beautify those 
portions of the city which would soonest attract the vision 
of the man on his first trip to the city. 

Now instead of a sheltering place for groups of miser- 
able hovels, rude huts crouching on the face of the bluffs 
and threatening to tumble bodily into the Union depot 
yards: shanties erected because there was nobody to 



— 20- 



refuse the owners the privilege, huddled along the natural 
garden spot of the city, without ventilation, without sew- 
erage and breeding disease and artistic malaria. West 
Terrace park is the climax of a system of internal im- 
provement which has made the "Greater Kansas City" 
the most celebrated city on the continent. Stretching 
away from the outcropping boulders which form the natu- 
ral northern boundary, in themselves sturdy and striking 
additions to the park, the pleasure ground of the West 
side dips and rises in handsome terraces until it reaches 
the southern limit of the hills. It is the fortress of the 
city's western borders, a vision of landscape beauty and 
architecture. From its driveways, the visitor can obtain 
a view of the surrounding country, clothed in the green of 
nature, not excelled excepting in the American Alps. 

Overlooking the magnificent manufacturing district 
of the West, it displays as in a panorama, the splendid 
industries which ihe energy and persistence of the people 
have called together. There are the magnificent stock 
yards, the huge packing houses, tanneries, woolen, cotton 
and flouring mills. There are factories for the production 
of clothing, boots and shoes, harness, agricultural imple- 
ments and everything needed to supply the territory 
which reaches out into the plains of the West from the 
gateway established by nature: the region which sends in 
its raw materials and receives the finished product at the 
mouth of the Kaw. 

Out of the progress of the industrial interests, grew 
naturally and imperceptibly a desire for adornment at 
home. Artisans in the various lines of skilled labor 
learned that it was as cheap and far more satisfactory to 
themselves and their families to have pretty homes and 
tastefully arranged grounds. This idea grew the more 
rapidly as the magnificent scheme of the park board 
became more and more evident. Uniformity ir the 
materials selected for byways and walks in all sections of 
the city, doing away with the incongrous and sometimes 



inartistic crazy quilt patterns of sidewalks which had 
obtained to some extent before the beauties of uniformity 
were taught the people by the wise and progressive com- 
mission created to beautify the city. It was found easy 
to co-operate with the board in its efforts and this has been 
done until a city beautiful and prosperous in all its limits 
is the result. 

Having secured the power of extension the city soon 
became territorially equal to any half million city in the 
country, and greater than most of them. Having set their 
hearts on the 500.000 mark, the people went to work to 
provide places for the increase, and sent the lines out to 
the little river on the east. Now the Greater Kansas City 
is a collection of happy and increasingly prosperous 
groups extending from Quindaro lo the Blue and from the 
Missouri to Brush Creek. Even now it is filling up so 
rapidly that the people are reaching out for more 
territory. 

Half a million was the mark fixed by the people when 
the battle was resumed, just after the election of June 6, 
1895; half a million will not satisfy them now. With the 
mighty city on this side of the line and her rapidly grow- 
ing and equally prosperous sister over in Kansas. time will 
be short before the limit is exceeded. With community 
of interest the motto of both and the old factional fights 
and jealousies buried forever, the two Kansas Citys have 
joined hands to form the greatest industrial, commercial, 
and educational city in the whole broad land. With the 
wishes of the founders of the city fully realized: with the 
city full of contented people: with labor for all; with 
money kept in circulation because all that is needed is 
produced here; because taxes are used to beautify and 
maintain the beauties already established; and are paid to 
the poor men; with everything to hope for and nothing 
to regret. "Greater Kansas City" makes her bow lo the 
world, and at the beginning of the new century says, 
"Welcome, and God speed you all." 



-21- 



KANSAS CITY AS A RESIDENCE CITY. 



PRIZE ARTICLE 
By William P. 
I I /HAT makes life worth living? Probably nothing 
\l/ so much as the joys and comforts of home life, 
and to the busy man. supporting the ever increas- 
ing strain of business activity . the question of where to make 
a home is one of great importance. If he has a growing 
family their needs also appeal to him; for well he knows 
that neither dainty blossoms nor sturdy plants can develop 
but in kindly environments. Kanaas City is pre-emi- 
nently a city of homes and for homes. Though her 
rapid growth has necessarily been somewhat irregular. she 
is naurally adapted to beauty. The undulating hills upon 
which she sits furnish a multitude of delightful building sites 
commanding spreading views and affording free access to 
the refreshing southern breeze. Nearly all of the resi- 
dence portions of the city are upon rising grounds, drain- 
age is admirable and the climate is very healthy and 
mild. For ten months in the year riding, driving and 
bicycling are a source of pleasure, and for seven or eight 
months lawns are verdant and outdoor exercise tempts 
both old and young. The size and prevalence of porches 
in this latitude attests the social delights afforded by the 
mild summer evenings. Parks, public and private, are 
accessible and well maintained: miles of asphalt streets 
lead in every direction, while the picturesque beauty of 
the diverging country roads and the number of hamlets 
and towns that cluster around within a radius of a few 
miles make driving enjoyable, and riding and bicycling 
a source of delight and interest to the young. One of the 
beauties of Kansas City is the number of handsome villas 
that dot the country side, rising out of well kept parks, 
and adding their charm to the general landscape. To a 
man of even moderate means the question of buying or 
building a home is comparatively easy of solution. Being 
near the source of supply, building material is cheap and 

22- 



NUMBER 6. 

Borland. 

plentiful, and sightly lots can be had at prices to suit the 

taste and purse of the purchaser. An excellent system of 

street railways, with transfers between all lines, places an 

abundance of good properly for homes within easy reach. 

Fuel and living expenses are low. and the market affords 

an attractive supply of fresh meat and vegetables to the 

housekeeper. 

Nor do physical comforts comprise all. The social 
atmosphere is genial and refined. A liberal culture pre- 
vails among Kansas City's people, many of whom are 
from the Eastern cities, and the taste for art, music and 
letters is pronounced. Theatres are good, and the best 
musical attractions meet with enthusiastic patronage. 
Religious interest is active as is manifested by the num- 
ber of handsome churches which adorn the city, all 
denominations being represented, including an organized 
congregation of Christian Scientists and of other forms of 
advanced religious thought. 

Educational advantages, which are of prime impor- 
tance to the homeseeker. are here found in abundance 
and of a high degree of excellence. The public school 
system is Kansas City's especial pride, and upon it have 
been spent years of patient effort directed by an enlighten- 
ed public interest. The ward schools are numerous and 
very thorough in the course of instruction, and the High 
school is more than the peer of the best academies. It 
has an able corps of instructors: its laboratories and 
equipments are modern and complete, and it is able to. 
and does, prepare hundreds of young men and women for 
entrance into the great universities. Many good private 
schools also exist, and are well supported. 

As a residence city, therefore. Kansas City freely 
offers her present attractions and future possibilities to the 
thoughtful attention of homeseekers, rich or poor. 



KANSAS CITY AS A FAVORABLE LOCATION FOR 
A NEW MANUFACTORY. 

PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 7. 
By S. S Patterson. 



r^ANSAS City as a location for a well equipped wagon 
r\ factory cannot be surpassed. 

* Kansas City has a mild climate and living is as 
cheap as in any other town, therefore, wages would be on 
the same basis as at other plants. 

Kansas City can furnish coal and water as cheap as 
the majority of wagon towns. 

Kansas City has a linseed oil mill; paint and varnish 
factories. 

Tributary to Kansas City there is plenty of timber 
that will make first-class wagon stock. 

In seven-tenths of the territory West of the Mississip- 
pi river Kansas City has an advantage, in two-tenths it 
will have an equal show, and in only one-tenth is it at a 
disadvantage when competing with factories on or East of 
the Mississippi river. 

The Kansas City. Pittsburg & Gulf Railroad will give 
Kansas City a direct line to the Gulf and a shorter route 
to Texas points than St. Louis, by crossing all the roads 
entering Texas from the East. 

The M. K. & T.. the Rock Island and the Santa Fe 
give Kansas City three direct lines into Texas from the 
North. 

The Kansas City. Ft. Scott & Memphis Railroad 
gives Kansas City a direct route into Arkansas, Missis- 
sippi and Alabama. 



St. Paul. Minn., is nearer to Kansas City than to the 
Michigan. Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky wagon towns. 

Texas, Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory, Kansas 
and Western Missouri use from 100,000 to 200,000 
wagons annually. 

The wagons sold in this territory are made in the 
towns given in the table below, or other Northern towns. 

A few years ago a train load of wagons passed through 
Kansas City on its way to Texas from Winona, Minn. 

The freight from Winona to Kansas City is $3.20 per 
wagon and according to table below Kansas City would 
have $2.08 advantage over Winona for Texas business. 

The time has passed in this section of the country 
when the brand of a wagon sells it. 

A farmer wants a light running wagon and one that 
is warranted against defects in material and workmanship. 

The retail dealer wants a well finished wagon that 
carries above warantee at lowest possible price. 

The Eastern wagon factory that sells Kansas City 
jobbers must reduce ite profits to allow the jobber a com- 
mission. 

A well equipped wagon factory in Kansas City which 
would make an honest wagon would be a profitable 
investment. 



-23- 



This Table Shows Relative Cost of Delivering Goods in Kansas City From Factories Located m 
Towns Given Below, and Kansas City's Advantage. 



Class "A" Rate 

Per loo 
To Kansas City. 


.2 

a 
o 

-) 


a 
o 


O 





«> 

a 
'0 
d 
a! 


3 

s 
■0 
•0 
a 

(2 


s 

g 


□ 


a 


•0 
c 

3 

eg 


4) 

C 

[I. 


S 
§ 


> 

(0 

■5 





•2 

I 


d 
1 


a 
39 1-2 


bo 

J 


•0 

'S 

cd 
B! 

•0 

a 

ed 

k- 
39 1-2 
3 9S 
283 


22 1-2 


22 I-a 


26 1-4 


3^ 


32 


3' 


32 


3' 


37 '-^ 


37 1-2 


37 1-2 


37 1-2 


39 1-2 


33 1-2 


39 -2 


Freight on looo lb. 
Wagons. 


$2 25 


2 25 


2 62 


3 20 


3 20 


3 20 


■^ 20 


3 20 


3 75 


3 75 


3 75 


3 75 


3 95 


3 95 


3 95 


3 95 


Kansas City's 
•Advantage 


I 1.5 


I 13 


I 50 


2 08 


2 08 


2 08 


2 08 


2 08 


263 


2 63 


2 63 


263 


283 


283 


283 


^83 



Lumber rate. St. Louis to Kansas City. 8 \-2c per 100 pounds. 

Bar and Rod Iron and Steel rate. Birmingham to Kansas City. 35c per 100 pounds. 

Pittsburg ■ ■■ ■• 44c 

" ■ " •• •' " St. Louis 22c '■ 



•J Figured on 700 pounds of dimension wood stock shipped from St. Louis "8 1-2C per 100. 
I Figured on 400 pounds of iron at excess on Birmingham stock over St. Louis Pittsburg stock "13c per 100. 



-24- 



KANSAS CITY AS A WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTING POINT. 



PRIZE ARTICLE 
By Clara L, 
r/ANSAS City as a wholesale distributing point has 
l\ every natural advantage and can offer inducements 
V to the capitalist exceeding in their actual value his 
brightest day-dreams. Rightly named the Gate City, as 
the central point of the Union, it is in the track of all the 
trade winds, so to speak, of the continent, as shifting 
hither and thither, they bear their commercial burdens 
from New York to San Francisco, and from the Great 
Lakes to the Great Gulf. 

Its location, at the junction of the Kansas and 
Missouri rivers, in the very midst of the richest farming 
and mineral district on the globe, would place it in the 
lead of Western cities, though it had no claim to prece- 
dence. Its climate, so mild and equable, has doubtless 
had much to do with its phenomenal growth, and is also 
a great factor in its business and metropolitan aspect. 
The large investor likes to look upon the scene of his 
greatest transactions. Northern blizzards and semi-trop- 
ical storms might well deter him from a venture to which 
all else seemed favorable. He realizes the futility of the 
best laid plans wi,hout health. But in Kansas City he 
finds the purest, most invigorating air, and the best of 
sanitary conditions. Perhaps health statistics have had 
something to do with bringing him here, at least they all 
go to prove that this greatest of all distributing points is 
the healthiest city in the world. 

Nature, quite unassisted, afforded here excellent 
transportation facilities. The French fur trader found 
this region most easy of access. The great waterways 
here united controlled the North and West from the 
British possessions to the thirty-eighth degree of latitude, 
and west to the Rocky Mountains, The angle in the 
Missouri river directed the Santa Fe trade hither, and 
with it steamboat navigation began. So much does the 

25- 



NUMBER 8. 
Kendall. 

topography of a country enter into the problem of a city's 
greatness. The superior natural roads leading hence made 
it the starting point for the expeditions to Mexico during 
the war, and attracted the greater part of the great Cali- 
fornia and Utah emigration. It possessed a natural steam- 
boat landing, and the water grades for wagon transporta- 
tion caused a constant increase in the trade already 
established. 

So much for the provisions of nature in making Kan- 
sas City a wholesale distributing point, but when it became 
the terminus of the Union Pacific road it was at once seen 
how, with this end in view, the railroad far transcends 
every other means to commercial recognition and im- 
portance. 

Since the days of Columbus men have been seeking 
the West. Once it meant the Atlantic coast. Later it was 
bounded by the Alleghar.ies. then by the Mississippi, and 
now Kansas City, as the radius of twenty-nine railroads, 
is the well-defined and undeniable West of all commerce. 

One great reason why Kansas City must occupy first 
place as a wholesale distributing point is that she has 
more products and manufactures of her own to distribute 
than any other city. This alone might be sufficient, but 
there is another and perhaps still greater reason why in 
this capacity she can have no compeer. 

Standing at the Union depot, one is immediately con- 
scious that it is the veritable center of a continent. Like 
iron arteries, the vast network of all the railroads in this 
greatest republic reach out in every direction from Kan- 
sas City, throbbing to the warm heart of her inmost life, 
and infused by her with a new commercial impetus. As 
was said of the Eternal City, "All roads lead to Rome," 
so now the traveler no longer inquires the way to Kansas 



City, knowing that all roads will bring him under her 
jurisdiction. 

What has not Kansas City to distribute? Her grain 
business claims the attention and excites the emulation of 
the world. Her mineral products are rich and abundant. 
The agricultural implement business of Kansas City is the 
largest in America, while her gigantic packing business, 



second only to Chicago, bids fair to rank first in the near 
future. When nature designated Kansas City as a whole- 
sale distributing point she did no journey work. Man 
carefully following her dictations has made the rock- 
bound bay of the Missouri and Kansas. the most accessible 
and greatest seat of commerce in the Westv/ard march 
of trade. 



KANSAS CITY AS A MANUFACTURING CENTER. 



PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 9. 



By H. 

THREE factors absolutely essential to the success of a 
manufacturing establishment are these : First, good 
location; second, good distribution; third, good 
growth. 

By good location is meant; for the manufacturer, 
access to raw materials, nearness of market, natural 
advantages for trade. By good distribution is meant, 
increase of demand for his wares. 

Besides these, the manufacturer must have as a 
matter of course, a knowledge of his business, low ex- 
penses, good help, and with all of these in his favor his 
enterprise bids fair to be successful; without them. capital, 
experience, good management, are of no avail. 

On the first point — good location — an intelligent study 
of the map should go far toward convincing a manufac- 
turer that Kansas City offers advantages which to say the 
least, are not easy to find. 

Rivers do not run up hill and great railroads gravitate 
only toward the best centers for trade. It is no accident 
that causes all the great railroad systems of the west to 
center at Kansas City; nor is it an accident that the record 
of bank clearings places Kansas City tenth amongst the 
cities of the United States. Her commercial importance 
might be gauged by these two facts alone, but there are 



B. Reidy. 

others which are equally convincing aud 'whlih will be 
found in other pages of this book. 

Wealth begins at the footstool — comes out of the soil. 
Other things being equal, the more productive the soil the 
greater the prospects for wealth. and the nearer the source 
of production the quicker the enjoyment of results. The 
territory tributary to Kansas City is as productive as any 
on the face of the globe, and it is this great natural 
wealth and advantages of location which created Kansas 
City in the first place, which ministered to her subsequent 
growth, and without which it would be impossible for her 
to have obtained the commerdial importance which she 
holds today. 

This importance is. in a great measure, augumented 
by the presence of some of the most thriving industries in 
the land; industries involving enormous capital. and which 
were located here, not because their promoters had any 
local interests to serve or any favors to bestow, but be- 
cause after an extensive survey of the entire country 
they selected Kansas City as the most promising location 
they could find. 

The growth of these industries, their prosperity today, 
and the wonderful success they have achieved; a success 
far beyond the expectations of their promoters, should 

26 



serve as a precedent to go far toward convincing a manu- 
facturer that for location Kansas City cannot be excelled. 

Under the second head, "Distribution." too much 
can hardly be said. 

Not far removed from the geographical center of the 
country, and with twenty-seven different lines of railroads 
catering to its demands, the distributing capacity of Kan- 
sas City is limited only by the bounds of traae. North. 
South. East. West, these great arteries of steel send its 
products quickly throughout the land and bring the mar- 
kets of the country within easy reach. In this connection 
it is a fact full of significance that many large manufac- 
turing houses have distributing warehouses here. Here 
vast quantities of manufactured products are shipped from 
outside and held subject to call. showing that the manufac- 
turer who would be in close touch with the great markets 
of the West and Southwest and their constantly increasing 
demands must necessarily make Kansas City liis distrib- 
uting point, even though his factory is located elsewhere. 
On this point alone the manufacturer seeking the best loca- 
tion will find much food for thought. Transportation rates 
are necessarily low. for competition governs railroads as 
it governs trade and under the chapter on "Kansas City 
as a Distributing Point" the manufacturer will find satis- 
factory statistics at his command. 

On the third point — increase of demand for his wares 
— Kansas City holds out prospects which appeal strongly 
to business instinct as well as to common sense. It is 
almost safe to say that there is not a manufacturer whose 
trade in the West has not steadily increased within the 
past ten years, and that the increase has been more per- 
ceptible each succeeding year. This is as it should be. 
Where the consumer goes, there must the wares go. too, 
and the increase of population in the West tells no uncer- 
tain tale. This increase has been most marked in Mis- 
souri and surrounding states where the healthfulness of 
the climate, the richness of the land and the unequalled 
opportuniiies it presents, have tended to bring it about. 



But great as has been this increase of inhabitants in 
the past, the future is destined to witness much more 
marvelous strides. The vast resources of the West, its 
desirability as a place to live, its advantages from a com- 
mercial point of view and its boundless money-making 
possibilities are each year getting better known and act 
as an alluring attraction to the younger element in the 
East as well as the hordes of emigrants who are yearly 
landed on our shores. "Westward the course of empire 
takes its way." its pace increasing as its path is made 
more smooth, and with socializing progress of the times, 
population will rapidly advance and the fertile hills and 
valleys of the West will supplant the crowded pathways 
of the East, bringing the center of circulation to the cen- 
ter of population where it rightfully and naturally be- 
longs. 

Fortunate indeed v.ill be the manufacturer whose 
foresight prompts him to locate in Kansas City, the future 
metropolis of the West, where he can reach these mighty 
crowds with ease and less operating expense than is pos- 
sible elsewhere. 

Besides these primal advantages of location, dis- 
tribution and growth, Kansas City holds out inducements 
to the manufacturer which, when weighed at their full 
worth, should commend it in preference to any other 
place. Amongst these are an opening and a welcome — 
an opening because we have comparatively few manu- 
facturies at present; a welcome because we want more. 

With abundant faith in the present and future pros- 
perity of our city, and with a confidence born of experi- 
ence in the past, we hold out every legitimate inducement 
to any industry that will contribute to that stability of 
which we are so justly proud. We welcome with open 
arms any business proposition that will tend to promote 
our prosperity or add to our commercial weight, and we 
are ready with our capital and our energies to advance 
the interests of every newcomer, to aid him in every 
way we can and to take an honest and abiding pleasure 



-27. 



in his welfare and success. Here coal is abundant and 
cheap; help plentiful and good, and from oui a quota of 
unoccupied space the manufacturer will find it easy to 
select a favorable and advantageous site. 

The lines of manufacturing industry to which Kansas 
City holds paramount prospects today are: Tanneries, 
boots and shoes, farm implements, machinery, iron and 
steel products, flour mills, fruit packing, soap making and 
any industry adjunctive to the supply of cattle and 
hogs. 



To any and all of these when properly managed and 
within reasonable limits as to number, Kansas City holds 
out not merely a promise but a guarantee of success; a 
guarantee not born of selfishness or an overwhelming 
desire for growth; a success not merely dependent on 
local conditions, or temporary boom, but a success as 
positive as the fulfillment of the future, as fixed as the 
laws of demand, as great as the capital invested will 
warrant, and as certain as the prosperity of our entire 
land. 



KANSAS CITY AS A RAILROAD CENTER. 

PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 10. 
By E. P. Southworth. 



f^OME conquered the world by her military roads. 
IT These all centered in the Eternal city. 

• A republican Caesar has arisen on the American 
continent. His name is Commerce. His empire de- 
mands an imperial city which shall be as essential to his 
vitality as Rome was to the eagle of the legions. 

All human activity has a subtle spirit of unification. 
To diversify and then to centralize is a profound commer- 
cial instinct. When Bishop Berkeley wrote "Westward 
the course of empire takes its way." he pointed to Art as 
"Time's noblest offspring." but in his prophetic day 
commercial art had not been born. 

This young nimrod. like his ancestor, is a mighty 
hunter. Today he is hunting out every source and 
resource of industry in orderto build them acity. a rrietrop- 
olis for trade and travel. The first glance at any map in 
the United States gives the impression — always confirmed 
by reflection — that this great, consecrated heart of com- 
merce lies upon the Western waterline of the State of 
Missouri, and pulsates to all the world from Kansas 
City. 



Here nature has determined to centralize the arteries 
of vital industry. Associated industries require a conti- 
nental center for an economical distribution of products. 

In the growth of agriculture and manufacturing, the 
central West demands a city for concentration and dis- 
tribution on or near the point of intersection of the 39th 
parallel with the 95th meridian. Nearly all large business 
centers are either on the 39th parallel, which requires 
least divergence in transportation, or they focus upon it 
by the natural convergence of commercial gravitation; 
and with the vast Pacific accumulation of people and pro- 
ducts adhering to this commercial route Eastward. Kansas 
City becomes the great concentrating point of this central 
West. 

Climate, local production, and other incidental ob- 
stacles related to topography, will always debar rivalry 
with Kansas City as a railroad metropolis. Minneapolis 
and New Orleans are too distant. Chicago and St. Louis 
-though adjacent and popular-are each suffering from cli- 
matic disabilities, and Denver, on the west is simply a first- 
class excursion point from Kansas City to the mountains. 



-28- 



The center of population is fixing its eye immutably 
upon Kansas City. It has already passed Indianapolis, 
once the greatest railway center in the United States. 
In its Westward march it can not stop at St. Louis. I see 
no final destination for it other than Kansas City. This 
one fact alone takes the question of its superiority as a 
concentrating and distributing point out of all argument. 
Commerce itself appears to De subordinated to the laws 
of human distribution, which lie beyond art or legisla- 
tion. Like the human heart, we only know where nature 
has placed it. Hence the simple fact of population and 
its environment will more and more press the call for a 
centralization of all natural and artificial lines of trans- 
portation upon Kansas City. 

Having thus dwelt briefly upon a few natural causes 
which require a metropolitan railway center at Kansas 
City, it only remains to note some facilities already de- 
veloped toward its fulfillment. 

First among these we note the vast territory practi- 
cally controlled by the seventeen railway systems, em- 
bracing twenty-six lines, which center in Kansas City, 
traversing thirty-two Slates and Territories, their com- 
bined mileage aggregating fifty thousand two hundred 
and twenty-five miles. 



The grazing belt of the West and Southwest, pouring 
into Kansas City alone its mighty product, furnishes 
for the packing industry, operated in Kansas City, enough 
fresh meals to satisfy the population of the cities of New 
York, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn and New Orleans. 

The wheat and corn fields of the North and North- 
west, all tributary to Kansas City through its magnificent 
railway system, produce twenty-five per cent of the wheat 
and corn of the United States, pouring into Kansas City 
a volume of internal commerce with which no other 
point can hope to compete. 

As a conveniently centralizing point for passenger 
traffic Kansas City stands second to none. It is the object 
of the man of travel and of business instinct, as well as 
of him who is seeking a home in the rapidly developing 
West. Its aggregate ticket sales over its twenty-six lines 
reach far above the million dollar mark annually. 

In consideration of these facts, together with the 
excellent terminal facilities possessed by Kansas City to 
properly distribute this great volume of business, I feel 
confident no point can compete, as a center of railway 
traffic, with Kansas City the "Inter-State City." 



KANSAS CITY AS A PACKING HOUSE CENTER. 



PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 
By M. Hayward. 



/*ATTLE may Justly be termed the corner stone upon 
V which Kansas Ctty was built, and in no branch of 
^ commercial industy has it made more rapid strides 
than that of beef and pork packing. 

Commencing in 1870 with five acres of ground fenced 
in. which was increased to twenty-six acres the next year, 
the Kansas City Stock Yards now cover 160 acres, being 



second only to Chicago, which city must eventually suc- 
cumb to this young giant of the West. Located with the 
ne plus ultra of environments, in the very center of the 
great corn belt and adjacent to the vast grazing and pro- 
ducing grounds of the West and Southwest, contiguous to 
the best hog growing country west of the Mississippi river, 
Kansas City is peculiarly fitted for the packing business. 



-29- 



Beginning with one packing house in 1868 whose 
slaughter for the first year reached 4,209 cattle and 1,300 
hogs, the business has steadily grown until at the present 
time there are six packing houses, wish a pay roll of $7.- 
000.000 employing 9.000 men. who killed. in 1894. 922.682 
cattle. 50.126 calves. 2.050.784 hogs and 393.298 sheep. 
These figures alone tell of the rise and progress of an in- 
dustry rarely met with in this or any other land. 

The following statistics, showing the receipts at the 
Kansas City Stock Yards, speak for themselves: 

1871 

Cattle. Calves. Hogs. Sheep. Value. 
120.827 41.036 4.527 $4,210,605 




Cattle. Calves. Hogs. Sheep. Value. 
1.689.193 83.352 2.547.077 58^.555 98.577.164 

No other city in the world can make such a showing 
as this. 

Nor was this growth alone in the line of numbers, 
farmers and ranchmen alike striving to increase the qual- 
ity of their beeves, while increasing their numbers, and 
today the packer can secure anything he wants from the 
"long-horn" to the fat corn-fed native, and the proximity 
to the feeding ground doing away with the long railroad 
haul, lands the cattle in the market with fewer bruises, 
and in better condition than those shipped to Chicago and 
other cities at a greater distance. Indeed so marked is the 
improvement that where, only four years ago. about 



twenty-five firms made a business of shipping cattle from 
Kansas City to Chicago, only a few loads are now occa- 
sionally shipped. 

Hogs — In this branch of the trade, if anything, the 
growth and progress has been even more marvelous than 
in cattle. As the country to the West and Northwest of 
Kansas City became thickly settled and better cultivated, 
the fine corn qualities of the soil soon became manifest, 
and attention was at once turned to its cultivation. And 
as this crop increased, hogs multiplied. With plenty of 
grass and corn and the prolific qualities of the hog. the 
number tributary to this market was doubled many times 
over, until it is now the great hog section of the West. 
The great multiplying of numbers is not the only side of 
the trade to be studied. Such hogs as now comprise the 
daily receipts were only seen twenty years ago in the show 
ring. Every drove is now made up of high grades or 
pure breeds, with a smoothness of limb and body which 
suggests a much smaller loss in killing than in the earlier 
days of the trade. 

In conclusion, the drawing together of the supply and 
demand not only insured the building here of one of the 
greatest live stock markets in the world, but makes it pos- 
sible, through the manifold advantages of Kansas City as 
a railroad center, to build up a packing industry unequal- 
ed in this country. Such is the wonderful development of 
a single interest in the new West in less than a quarter of 
a century. 



KANSAS CITY AS A MILLING CENTER. 

PRIZE ARTICLE NUMBER 12. 
By J. 0. Bradenbaugh. 

TO make such an attractive location as will induce First— A bountiful and regular supply of wheat at 

experienced millers to put their money into mill- practically first cost — that is to get it as close to the 

ing property, three important factors must be con- producer as is possible under the prevailing laws of 

sidered. trade. 

30 



Second — Cheap fuel — not reasonably cheap, but as 
cheap as any competition anywhere can get it. 

Third — A guarantee of such freight rates toward the 
flour purchasing markets as will meet competition from 
all sources. 

These three factors, taken together, not one without 
the other, or two without the third, but as a complete 
whole, make the milling of wheat a possible money- 
making business. 

Of the first, we can say that but few markets in the 
whole world are so close to the original wheat fields as 
is Kansas City. 

The State of Kansas alone has a possible productive 
area of 100.000.000 bushels of wheat per annum, and in 
favorable seasons such crops are likely to be raised. 
Oklahoma can give us from 10.000.000 to 20.000.000, 
Southern Nebraska. 10.000.000. Western and South-west- 
ern Missouri, 5.000.000. 

All this territory has been finding and must continue 
to find Kansas City its best market. This fact has been 
so thoroughly demonstrated that no one knowing the 
history of the trade will attempt to contradict this asser- 
tion. 

Of the second factor there is to say that but few large 
cities of the United States are so near to such inexhaust- 
able supplies of first-class steam coal as is Kansas City. 
With the coal mines lying around us in every possible 
direction, in fact beneath our streets, and with so many 
railroads interested in their respective mines and mining 
schemes, competition is such as to guarantee very cheap 
coal for 100 years to come; it cannot be otherwise. 

One can readily see that all the inducements are 
here to make the milling of wheat profitable. 

Experienced millers that avail themselves of the 
necessary capital to put up large plants, equipped with the 
very latest improved machinery, will certainly find here 
a money-making field. 



Unlike other cereals, wheat must be ground into 
flour before going into consumption. Either in the 
United States, in Europe or any other foreign market, 
wheat must ultimately go into flour. 

Instead of exporting wheat, why not export flour? 
It is flour the consumer wants. 

Suppose Kansas City, during a big crop year, should 
handle 50.000.000 of wheat. Her present milling capacity 
would only take about 5.000.000. Why should it not run 
up to 20.000.000 or 25.000.000. 

Our hard winter wheat flour ranks alongside the hard 
spring wheat flour of Minneapolis and the Northwestern 
mills for exporting, and our soft wheat flour will stand 
test with any competition. It is as good flour as can be 
made. 

No market can be better than this for the disposal of 
bran, and this is a big item to the miller. 

Short crop years come to every country and to each 
respective section of the country. Droughty years would 
of course bring distress to large milling interests here, but 
this trouble could be largely obviated by building large ele- 
vators and carrying wheat on storage. Our present eleva- 
tor-carrying capacity is very limited compared with what 
we should have, whether we have milling interests to pro- 
tect or not. 

To build up our grain market, and handle our crops, 
as our location justifies, we should have three times as 
much storage capacity. Large storage elevators would 
greatly improve our market, and would be a big drawing 
card to induce millers to locate here. 

All our railroads would be benefitted by having large 
stocks of grain carried here. It would draw large vol- 
umes of grain from territory not legitimately ours, and 
with such volumes of business in sight the railroad mana- 
gers could always figure for special lines of business. 

Let us have big elevators and then big mill plants. 
The harvest is ripe, and all natural requisites are here 
Bring your money and experience. 



-31- 



WHY KANSAS CITY IS THE NATURAL POINT FOR THE GREATEST 
TANNING AND LEATHER LNDUSTRY IN THE WORLD. 



PRIZE ARTICLE 
By H. C. 
r/'ANSAS City produces from her packing houses, and 
r\ as a gateway from the great West, more hides than 
V any other place in the world. 

Leather, as shown by statistics, is the first manufac- 
turing industry in this country, steel and iron being the 
second, and the establishment of this industry at Kansas 
City would be far reaching in effect and vast in resources; 
the most important of which would be the manufacturing 
of boots and shoes, harness, collars for draft horses and 
mules, and belting, to say nothing of the leather used in 
finishing buggies, for railroad and household upholstering, 
trunks, satchels, portmonnaies, bicycles, gymnasium 
fixtures, etc. Also the hair from the hides is of great 
value for the manufacture of carpets, cushions, upholster- 
ing, felting and plastering. 

It has been the history of all manufacturing industries 
on a large scale that one innovation is followed by another, 
which is to say that if one tannery is started at Kansas 
City, and proves successful, which it surely would, others 
would follow, and in view of the enormous production of 
hides at this point, several large tanneries, equal to the 
largest in the land today, could easily be supported. 

It is a well known fact, with very rare exceptions, 
that wherever tanneries have been started they have been 
a source of great profit to their owners. This is not only 
true of the large tanneries of the country, but it is equal- 
ly true of the small plants throughout the interior of the 
Middle and New England States, and it is a proverbial 
assertion that men who have been tanners have invari- 
ably been prosperous. It is further known that the small 
tanneries referred to depended entirely on the local pro- 
duct in the immediate vicinity. This being true of the 

32- 



NUMBER 13. 
Orr. 

small tanneries, with a small supply to draw from, how 
much greater the profits and results would be from con- 
centrating an industry of this kind where the supply is 
great enough to enable the tanner to take advantage of all 
modern improvements, as within the last few years this 
industry has been almost revolutionized by the invention 
of various labor saving devices that are to the tanner what 
the cotton gin has been to the Southern planter for so 
many years. 

The manufacturing of boots and shoes, on a large 
scale, in Kansas City (which industry would natu- 
rally and surely follow the establishment of a tannery) 
would give a greater impetus to all commercial indus- 
tries and employment to more skilled workmen than 
any other one commercial enterprise; in fact it would 
touch and quicken the pulse of every avenue and line of 
trade in Kansas City;and every citizen, from the laborer to 
capitalist would be benefitted. The real estate business 
would experience agreat advance and the demand forsame 
would spread far beyond the present city limits; the archi- 
tect and builder would be constantly employed and the ring- 
ing of the hammer and the buzzing of the saw would be 
heard on every hand erecting homes for the newcomers at- 
tricted to this point by the enormous advantages offered by 
the establishment of these industries; the merchant would 
increase his stock; all of which would have a great ten- 
dency to make that potent factor, capital, more eager to 
invest in our midst. 

Heretofore the cost of laying down in Kansas City 
oak or hemlock bark, which for centuries have been the 
principal tanning agents, has been the one obstacle that 
has prevented the establishment of a great tanning 



industry at this point, but the discovery of canaigre. which 
is pronounced by the most thorough expert leather chem- 
ists and practical tanners in the United States. Canada, 
England, France, Germany, Austria and Russia, where 
the finest leather is produced, to be superior in every 
respect to any other tanning agency known, removes this 
difficulty. 

Canaigre is indigenous to semi-tropical climates and 
is known only in the Southwestern portion of the United 
States and old Mexico, in a latitude where the frost does 
not penetrate the ground to any depth. It being an agri- 
cultural product and susceptible to enormous yield by 
cultivation assures an inexhaustible supply equal to all 
possible demands. Its growth is most prolific and it 
yields the largest percentage of tannic acid in proportion 
to its bulk of anything known to the vegetable kingdom, 
and when under cultivation is almost indestructable; the 
cost of tanning with canaigre is less than one-half of that 
by using oak or hemlock bark, and does the work in one- 
third less time. To illusirate, one ton of dried canaigre 
laid down in Kansas City at a total cost of ten dollars 
<$10) will tan four times as much leather as ten dollars 
($10) worth of bark would: or, in other words, it would 
take more than forty dollars worth of bark to do the work 
of ten dollars ($10) worth of canaigre. 



Another advantage which canaigre has over bafk is 
that it can be stored for an indefinite period without 
suffering from the ravages of insects or decay, but will 
retain its full strength, while it is not an unusual thing for 
insects to destroy to a large extent bark which has been 
stored for any length of time. 

Therefore, with the hides right here in Kansas City, 
an abundance of water, a careful analysis of which has 
shown it to be entirely free from any detrimental sub- 
stance, canaigre almost at our door and the world for a 
market, there is every reason wby Kansas City should 
become the greatest tanning and leather manufacturing 
center in the United States, 

The hides that leave Kansas City annually for East- 
ern markets, with an average of eight hundred hides 
(800) to thi car, would make a solid train over twenty 
miles long. As the enormous trade and demand for all 
leather products by the agricultural districts contiguous to 
Kansas City, runs into the millions annually, nearly all 
of which comes from the East, manufactured out of the 
hides which we shipped to them, the expense of double 
freight is thereby incurred, all of which goes to show the 
great advantage and enermous profits tnat would accrue 
from an enterprise of this kind in Kansas City, instead of 
selling the hides in the raw condition as at present. 



THE UNRIVALLED CLIMATE OF KANSAS CITY. 

By P, Connor, 



THE cUmale of Kaisas City, with particular reference 
to its effect upon health and general comfort, is not 
equalled by any city of comparable commercial 
importance In the United States. This is a bold state- 
ment, but a fact, nevertheless, supported by records 
"which are accessible to any person unwilling to take it for 
granted. It is not the theory or opinion of any person 



whose constitution is by natu.-e attuned to the character 
of its seasons. It is a demonstrated fact. This is not as 
generally understood, however, outside the Lower Mis- 
souri valley as it should be. principally for the reason that 
because Kansas City bears the name of the great State 
across the line, it has seemed natural to some people, 
intelligent people at that, to associate Kansas City, Mo.. 



-33- 



with all the exaggerated and absurd reports which have 
gone abroad concerning the Stale of Kansas, whether 
relating to personal characters or to climatic features. 

Many Kansas Cityans will, doubtless, call to mind 
having been asked such questions during their travels as, 
"Aren't you afraid of cyclones?" "How do you stand 
the hot summers?" etc.. to their perfect amazement. 
Kansas City is far from being burned up yet. as will be 
so clearly proved further on that ' 'he who runs may read. ' ' 
and has not been visited by a very damaging storm, let 
alone a "cyclone" in seven years, the period covered by 
the Weather Bureau records. 

Kansas City, by geographical location, escapes the 
rigors of long-drawn-out winters, while too far north to 
come within the enervating influences of Southern lati- 
tudes. It is a midway spot between the heat and the 
cold. It is not in the path of the great storm areas which 
come in from the Northwest, nor is it near enough the 
Mississippi valley to be in the track of gulf storms and 
those which enter the great central valley by way of the 
Southwest. The only storm of any importance in the 
past seven years was a "straight" wind of fifty-two 'miles 
an hour, which occurred in April. 1892. on a bright, clear 
day. and was caused by a violent storm area passing 
eastward across the Northern States. There was one 
snow-storm during the same period that gave sixteen 
inches on the level, and was such an extraordinary sur- 
prise that the oldest inhabitant had to be; called into 
locate one that would bear even a reasonable comparison. 
The annual precipitation is 37.80 inches, heaviest, of 
course, during the late spring and summer months. 

The normal temperature by months for the year is as 
follows: January. 28 degrees; February. 30; March. 41; 
April. 56; May. 63; June. 73; July, 77; August. 75; Sep- 
tember, 68; October. 57: November, 41, and December 
37 degrees. The highest temperature in seven years in 
June was 97; in July 102. and it only reached 100 degrees 
in one July in seven years. It reached 100 in August. 



1884, for the first time in seven years. To make it very 
clear, the temperature reached or exceeded 100 degrees 
but five times in seven years, and it beats that in one year 
in Montana, the Dakotas. Nebraska and Minnesota. Now 
for the other extreme. It reached zero twice in 1889, 
twice in 1890, twice in 1891, five times in 1892. seven 
times in 1893, and five times in 1894, 

On an average, over one-third the number of days in 
the year are clear; that is, not more than one-tenth of the 
sky would have clouds in those days. Considering the 
five years between 1889 to 1893 inclusive (simply because 
the records were at hand and convenient) the record of 
clear days beats the record at Louisville. Indianapolis, 
Denver, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Milwaukee. St. Paul, 
Chicago. Cleveland and New York. This is the reason 
that "sticky" days (days when energy and appetite have 
taken flight). and sun-strokes are not liable to occur except 
through injudicious exposure and exertion. Taking 
the summer of 1894. recent enough for everybody to have a 
recollection of it. it is found that the average percentage of 
humidity at 7 p. m. for June was 57. for July. 51: and for 
August. 45 per cent, and this is not the time of day of 
lowest humidity. As you travel eastward cloudiness 
increases and summer days become more oppressive. 

The wind blows from the south and south-east 40 per 
cent of the year. Snow does not last long on the ground 
because the southerly wind, responding to the storm areas 
which pass eastward north of this place about twice a 
week, soon raises the lemperarure. 

To summarize the extremes of winter and summer, 
it may be said that two weeks cover the extremes in each 
case. The spring and fall are usually delightful, the 
latter lasting until the approach of the holidays. There 
has not been one very warm day this summer to July 24. 

The general effect of the climate is exhilirating, and, 
while some people die young as elsewhere. Kansas City 
has the lowest death rate of any city or town of any pre- 
tensions in the United States, and very few. if any. towns 



-34- 



of any importance outside the United States have as low 
a death rate. The following diagram will show at a 
glance the comparative death rate for 1893 in the larger 
cities of the United States. This year is taken because 
it is the first annual report on the subject issued by this 
city. In 1894 the percentage is still lower, being only 
10.95 per 1.000. almost beyond belief in comparison with 
other localities. And as the city still further perfects its 
sanitary condition, will not the mortality rate be still 
lowered? 

P. CONNOR, 
Local Forecast Official Weather Bureau. 

Report of Clerk of Board of Health. Comparative 
statements of mortality. The following is the official 
death rate per 1,000 of the population for the year 1893 : 



City. 

New Orleans 

Boston 

New York 

Pittsburgh 

Brooklyn . 

Philadelphia — 

Baltimore 

St, Louis 

Buffalo 

Cincinnati 

San Francisco — 

Milwaukee 

Chicago — 

KansasCity.Mo 

Kansas City, Mo., 



1894. 



Death Rate. 

28.17 

24.02 

_ 23.52 
22.25 
21.21 
21.20 
20.99 
19.08 
19.03 
18.74 
18.36 
17.16 
16.93 
11.16 
10,95 



ARKANSAS AS A FACTOR IN MAKING KANSAS CITY'S 
POPULATION ^oo,ooo. 



By Clark Dickover, 



l/ANSAS City will have 500.000 population by 1900 if 
l\ her business men will do their duty. There are 
V many methods that will aid in bringing this about, but 
one of the most important is to build railroads into and de- 
velop her vast undeveloped territory. Nowhere within the 
territory naturally tributary to Kansas City is there such a 
vast amount of undeveloped resources as in Arkansas. 
The western and northwestern parts of Arkansas are nat- 
urally, by location, tributary to Kansas City, yet it is 
practically a closed market to her, owing to a lack of 
railroad facilities. With the exception of a small section 
touched by the Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf, Memphis 
route, and Missouri Pacific, everv railroad is a St, Louis 



road, with the exception of a small area tributary to the 
Memphis route, thus virtually compelling them to ship 
their products to St. Louis, and to buy their goods of St. 
Louis in return. As a matter of course this distance from 
railways prohibits any considerable development of their 
natural resources. These people wish to trade with 
Kansas City, realizing that it is their natural market, 
but Kansas City must go to them with a railroad before 
they can do so. Thousands of people over the entire 
United States are watching for a railroad to penetrate this 
section, and enable them to come in and develop their 
great resources. Within three years after the opening of 
this section by rail the population of these counties will be 



-35- 



doubled and trebled, and in some counties go far beyond 
that; cities will spring up by magic and vast industries 
will be put in motion. 

Arkansas has over 4.500,000 acres of government 
land subject to homestead entry, and almost 2.500.000 
acres of State and railroad lands. The great majority of 
these lands are in the Western half of the State, and 
comprise some of the most valuable mineral, fruit and 
timber lands in the State. In this section there are 216 
square miles of zinc, which has taken the premium at the 
World's fair as the best in the world, and more easily 
mined than any other as yet discovered. In the past 
month one mine in this district sold to a syndicate for 
$325,000. and it is sixty miles from any railroad. In the 
same district as this zinc are 2. 199 square miles of marble 
of the same quality as the Tennessee marble, the pink 
and black marbles being superior to any known. Her 
coal fields cover 2.347 square miles, and are of a very 
high quality. 

In manganese Arkansas ranks third in the production 
of this valuable mineral. The Kansas City. Pittsburg & 
Gulf Railroad, now building, will penetrate a rich man- 
ganese district heretofore inaccessible on account of 
great distance from a railroad. Arkansas has valuable 
granite, blue, gray and flag, and other building stone in 



enormous quantities, in addition to 7.000 square miles of 
limestone. 

She has timber which is estimated by those who 
know, if cut and sold, would purchase every acre of land 
in Kansas and Nebraska at its assessed valuation, the 
production of which is now $20,000,000 annually. The 
Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf Railroad will open up a 
large area of the finest timber in the State, heretofore far 
away from any railroad. Her fruit has taken off the first 
premiums at all the expositions, and Northwestesn Arkan- 
sas is now known as the "apple orchard of America." 

Her cotton, both long and short staple, carried off the 
premiums at the World's fair. If Kansas City will build 
cotton mills Arkansas will furnish the cotton in any quan- 
tity. In hogs and cattle the production is large and in- 
creasing very rapidly. 

If Kansas City business men could realize the vast 
richness of this territory, their own by location, yet almost 
completely monopolized by other markets, and the enor- 
mons quantity of raw material it is capable of furnishing 
her manufacturers in return for the products of her fac- 
tories and jobbing houses, they could soon bring it within 
reach and find it a mighty factor in making Kansas City 
a half million by 1900. 



AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 

By E. M. Clendenning. 



TO be successful, any manufacturing enterprise must 
be located in the community which is adapted by 
natural surroundings for the output of such manu- 
factured article, convenient to the raw material and the 
consumer. A majority of these conditions must prevail 
for special kinds of manufacturing to be successful. 

Many of the manufactured products can be produced 
in one section of this country as well as another, but the 



most successful factories are those which are either near 
to the base of supply or demand. There are some ex- 
ceptions to this rule, chiefly those factories established at 
an early day where the population was greater and the 
demand urgent. The diversified Interests of a country 
like ours have only been made possible by the wisdom of 
the Creator. Tropical fruits for the South, mining 
resources for the North, agriculture for the West. But 



36- 



with the growth of the country the intelligent manufac- 
turer will seek that location which offers the inducement 
of raw material in unlimited quantities, and a ready 
market for the manufactured article. As well might the 
enthusiast endeavor to successfully cultivate oranges in 
Dakota, as the manufacturer hope for adequate returns 
for capital invested and labor expended if his plant is not 
favorably located. 

Kansas City is adapted to the manufacture of a vari- 
ety of articles, but it is particularly qualified to manufac- 
ture agricultural implements of every variety. The 
largest distributing point in America today for the sale of 
agricultural implements is Kansas City. Sixty-seven 
houses are engaged in this pursuit at Kansas City, employ- 
ing a capital of 5.000.000, representing an investment of 
$75,000,000. The sales of these Kansas City houses 
amount to 20.000.000 annually. A comparison with 
other cities shows the following : 

Kansas City has 67 agricultural implement houses. 

St. Louis has 39 agricultural implement houses. 

Omaha has 36 agricultural implement houses. 

Dallas has 31 agricultural implement houses. 

Minneapolis has 26 agricultural implement houses. 

Council Bluffs has 27 agricultural implement houses. 

Des Moines has 18 agricultural implement houses 

Peoria has 15 agricultural implement houses. 

St. Joseph has 13 agricultural implement houses. 

St. Paul has 1 1 agricultural implement houses. 

Three-fourths of all the agricultural implements pro- 
duced in the United States are manufactured in the States 
of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Mis- 
souri. Two-thirds of the entire production is used west of 
the Mississippi river. The total number of wholesale 
agricultural implement houses west of the Mississippi 
river is over 300. The only important agricultural States 
east of the Mississippi river are Wisconsin, Illinois. 
Indiana. Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, while the 
entire West, with the exception of Montana, Wyoming, 



Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada, owe their 
wealth and commercial importance to agricultural pur- 
suits. These conditions have made Kansas City today 
the greatest distributing point for agricultural implements 
in the world, and if there is a manufacturing industry 
which is particularly adapted for Kansas City, it is the 
manufacture of agricultural implements. All the con- 
ditions are favorable and there is no experimental stage 
for the manufacturer to encounter. The possibilities for 
success are beyond conception. 

In proof of this assertion consider a comparison of 
the amount of wheat produced in the States east of the 
Mississippi river with that of the States west of that river 
in one year for an average crop. 

Number of bushels of wheat west of 
the river 293.28I.C00 

Number of bushels of wheat east of 

the river 223.500,000 

Excess of western crop 68,781,000 

Of the amount estimated above from Western States, 
the four states of Kansas, Nebraska. Missouri and Iowa 
produced 1 18,592,000 bushels, and the machinery neces- 
sary for harvesting and threshing this immense crop 
ought to be manufactured at the best distributing point in 
this great territory. Kansas City. Kansas City is in po- 
sition to become one of the great manufacturing centers 
for agricultural implements. It is already the great dis- 
tributing point for these goods, and they can be made 
here as economically as any place in America. 

The minimum freight rate on threshing m.achines is 
$12.50. while the minimum on the raw material fo» its 
manufacture is $2.50. The difference of $10.00 would be 
just so much extra profit. 

Kansas City's resources for the raw material neces- 
sary for the manufacture of agricultural implements are 
unexcelled. We have one direct railway line to the 
cheapest iron in the West, and we have two lines that 
reach every variety of timber which is used in the 



-37- 



construction of farming implements. The situation at 
present is such that a large supply of the iron and lumber 
used in manufacturing farming machinery is shipped • 
through Kansas City to other cities, manufactured into 
implements, and returned here to be placed on sale. We 
thus lose the freight on the raw material from Kansas 
City to Eastern cities and also the freight on the manu- 
factured article which is returned here for disposal. This 
is an additional argument for Kansas City as a manufact- 
uring center for these goods. 

There is a good market here for every variety of im- 
plement that is made, and the saving in freight alone 
would be a handsome profit. Two belt lines of railway 
encircle the city; situated upon them are eligible sites for 
manufacturing purposes. Ground can be obtained upon 
favorable terms, and the arrangements for switching are 
such that car loads of raw material can be placed in the 

UNPARALLELED 

By Augustine 
As a milling and grain center Kansas City has no par- 
M allel. It is not the most extensive flour manufact- 
' uring and grain handling center in the United States, 
but it is the best. Ten years ago Kansas City was a local 
market. To-day Kansas City is prominent as one of the 
most influential of the leading international breadstuffs 
markets. 

In a single year Kansas City has received 49,851.000 
busbels of grain; 31.161.000 bushels of wheat. 13.657.100 
bushels of corn, the remainder constituting the year's 
receipts of oats, rye and barley. Last year Kansas City 
mills produced and sold at a profit 1.079,000 barrels of 
flour and 281,600 barrels of meal, making an aggregate 
output of 1,360.000 barrels, not including oatmeal, 
cracked wheat and other breakfast foods and mill feed, 
of which an immense amount was produced. 

38 



factory and the manufactured product shipped in the same 
manner, making a great saving in handling. 

There is held annually in Kansas City a convention of 
retail implement dealers, representing the states of Mis- 
souri and Kansas. The retailers recognize Kansas City as 
the great implement center of the country and the man- 
ufacturer who establishes a large factory here will un- 
doubtedly realize a good percentage on his investment. 

The arguments in favor of Kansas City for the man- 
ufacture of agricultural implements are many in addition 
to those noted. Equally as important is cost of power, 
luel being obtained in large quantities at very low prices; 
labor in abundance; taxes are based on conservative esti- 
mates, the debt making power of the city being limited. 
Kansas City invites manufacturers to establish themselves 
here, but is especially interested in the manufacture of 
agricultural implements. To all such every legitimate 
encouragement will be afforded. 

ADVANTAGES. 

Gallagher. 

Kansas City flour mills, six in number, have a com- 
bined daily capacity of 6.500 barrels; four corn mills have 
a combined daily capacity of 1.500 barrels, and two 
breakfast food plants have a combined capacity of 30,000 
ounds every twenty-four hours. 

The grain storage capacity of Kansas City's modern 
elevator system, comprising more than a score of houses, 
is. in round numbers. 6.000,000 bushels, of which public 
and private warehouses represent an aggregate storage 
capacity of 5.000.000 bushels, mill storage room accom- 
modating I. COO.CCO bushels, not including the steel ware- 
house of 250.000 bushels capacity to be built at once by 
the Rex Mill Company. 

It has come to pass, therefore, that Kansas City has, 
in less than ten years, wrought a commercial eminence 
that other cities of greater size attained only after half 



and three-quarters of a century's constant endeavor, and 
such as many cities twice her size may never hope to 
attain. 

Throughout Kansas. Missouri. Nebraska. Iowa, 
Texas. Oklahoma and the Indian Territory, wheat, corn, 
and other grain can be produced at less cost per bushel 
than in any other quarter of the world. In exactly the 
same region live stock breeds, develops and fattens bet- 
ter, and with less cost, than anywhere else in the world. 
This is due to the soil and climate of the Southwest. 
Other sections of America, and other countries, may 
rival the Southwest in the production of grain, others 
may equal our millers in the science of reducing grain to 
flour, and still others may become our competitors in the 
production of live stock, but, in every region save that 
of which Kansas City is the commercial capital, the in- 
dustries mentioned stand alone; the Southwest alone has 
been endowed by the Great Creator with a corelation of 
of natural blessings that render Kansas City peerless, and 
her commercial expansion absolutely certain. 

During the past five years the grain producing area 
tributary to Kansas City, and to no other market of com- 
petitive importance, has expanded at the rate of a mil- 
lion acres per annum, and there is yet undeveloped farm- 
ing land within the radius of Kansas City's trade territory 
sufficient to permit of such an annual expansion for gen- 
erations to come. 

Having first call on the finest milling wheat in the 
world, delivered from the hands of producers by twenty- 
six lines of railway. Kansas City millers enjoy the first 
and most important of all manufacturing advantages — 
that of operating near the base of supplies. In this par- 
ticular Kansas City millers are on an equality with the 
millers of Minneapolis, the world's greatest milling cen- 
ter, but in other respects Kansas City millers enjoy un- 
paralleled advantages. Besides paying a cosi for water 
power about equal to the cost of steam power in Kansas 
City. Minneapolis mill owners must maintain expensive 



steam power plants which they employ several months 
each year. Lump steam coal costs Minneapolis millers 
(August, 1895) $3.85 per ton. f. o. b., with 8 cents per 
ton additional for switching, while screenings cost $2.95 
per ton. At the same time Kansas City millers paid 
$2.20 per ton. f o. b.. no charge for switching, for Cher- 
okee lump — the best steam producing coal known — and 
$1.30 for Cherokee screenings, delivered. 

Kansas City millers receive from 10 to 25 per cent 
higher prices for all their feed product than it is possible 
for the millers of Minneapolis. Duluth. Milwaukee or even 
St. Louis to procure. This is because Kansas City is the 
center of the live slock feeding region of the world. Cli- 
matic influences are against other sections rivaling the 
Southwest in this particular, and transportation charges 
debar millers of other sections from the Kansas City feed 
market. This advantage has been decreed the Kansas 
City miller by Providence and will always be in effect. 
There has not been a time within the decade that Kansas 
City millers produced half enough mill-feed to meet the 
demand, and such a thing as mills shutting down on ac- 
count of failure to sell flour was never heard of here. 

Comparative prices paid for wheat bran at Kansas 
City and Minneapolis on a given date will emphasize the 
fact above set forth. August 21 bran sold. f. o. b.. Min- 
neapolis, from mills, in bulk. per ton. at $9.50 and $10.00; 
the same day bran sold in bulk. f. o. b., Kansas City, at 
$11.50 and $12.00 per ton. 

With these facts as a guide, remembering that twenty- 
six lines of railway enter Kansas City, that this market — 
the third largest in America— is the world's depot for hard 
winter wheat flour, hard winter wheat and corn; that Kan- 
sas City is exclusively a cash market, neither countenan- 
cing speculation or inflation. and that the demand for bread 
and feedstuffs has always held Kansas City offerings at a 
premium, it is not difficult to understand that Kansas City 
as a milling and grain centre has neither parallel today 
nor a possible future rival. 



-39- 



I 






Missouri, Kansas & Texas Trust Co. 

OF KANSAS CITY, MO. 

INCORPORATED UNDER THE LftWS OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI. 

CAPITAL, $1,250,000, FULL PAID 

SSURI^IvUS AlVD UrVOIVIOISn* fKOX^ITS, 1^800,000. 



EASTERN offices: 
PHILADELPHIA, PENN., 400 Chestnut Street 
NEW YORK CITY, ■ 36 Wall Street 

BOSTON, MASS., ■ ■ 40 Water Street, 

FOREIGN OFFICES: 



AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND, 
LONDON, E.C., ENC, 



Singel, 238, 
10 Throgmorton Av. 



A. E. STILWELL, 
J. McD. TRIMBLE. 
E. L. MARTIN. 
WM. S. TAYLOR, - 
JACQUES T. NOLTHENIUS. 4th 



EXECUTES A GENERAL TRUST BUSINESS. 

COLLECTS WESTERN MORTGAGES. 

TAKES CHARGE OF PROPERTIES, 

Collecting Rents, Paying Taxes, etc. , for Eastern Investors. 

ACTS AS TRUSTEE. TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR 

of stocks and Bonds for Railroads and other Corporations. 
Acts as EXECUTOR, ADMINISTRATOR, GUARDIAN or TRUSTEE of Estates. 
•••••••••• 

OFFICERS: 

President. ROBT. B. CONE, - - - Secretary. 

1st Vice President. ,^f^ JACQUES T. NOLTHENIUS, - Asst. 

2d ■■ gip E. S. MOSHER. - - 2d •■ 

3d ■■ ^CbP WM. S. TAYLOR, - - - Treasurer. 



FRANK B. WILCOX, 
TRIMBLE & BRA LEY, General Attorneys. 

Board of Directors. 



Asst. 



A. E. STILWELL. - Kansas City. Mo. 

E. L. MARTIN. - 
A. A. MOSHER. - " 
FRANK COOPER. - 

F. A. FAXON. - - ■• 
J. McD. TRIMBLE. 
JACQUES T. NOLTHENIUS. 



ROBT. GILLHAM. 
WM. 5. TA YLOR. 
DR. H. M. HOWE. 
WM. D. BLACK. 
WM. WATER ALL. 
WM. H. LUCAS. 
E. P. MERWIN. - 



Kansas City. Mo. 
Philadelphia. Pa. 



New York City. 



C. E. GRANNISS. 
A. HECKSCHER. 
H. A. LLOYD. - - 
J. E. McKEIGHAN. 
CHARLES CLARK. 
E. W. MARSH. - - 
E. HENRY BARNES. 



New York City. 
SI. Louis. Mo. 



Bridgeport. Conn. 
Hew Haven. Conn 



